A New Beginning
by Woman-Like Girl
Summary: Harry decides that he must create something more powerful than a truce to cope with Malfoy while at work. But just how powerful will it become and what will they face? As his relationship with Ginny shakes, Blaise is suspiciously nice. HPDM ON HIATUS
1. One Step At A Time

**A/N:**

Review~!

So guys, if anyone rereads they will notice I've changed one detail on this chapter. I said before that Draco didn't have the Dark Mark and that he could not apparate, but that would be incoherent with some of my later chapters, therefore I've edited this chappie. Sorry for those who read before, and for the newbies, pretend you did not see this -laugh.

**---**

**One Step At a Time.**

Harry found himself thoroughly confused. He has no idea how to feel about his ex-arch nemesis and is completely lost as to how he should act around the blond man.

It's been two months since Malfoy was admitted in the ministry as a Potions Master and Harry, being an auror often needed said potions, whether they were Veritaserum or Healing Potions, he always used them thus he had to go and see Dra-Malfoy. _Dammit._

But how should he talk to Malfoy? Are they past the insults? Surely things changed after the war, he could not possibly ignore how Draco looked vulnerable and disoriented on the battle field, how his cold personality wasn't that cold. How he could not kill a fly to save his soul.

Still there was always tension around them whenever they were both alone in the same room. He could see how stiff Draco got, his wary eyes gazing at Harry every once in a while. Harry too tensed, ended up babbling some nonsense and laughed nervously.

The only good thing that came out of this meetings was the rare smile on Draco's lips everytime some useless gibberish left Harry's mouth. His gaze softened and his eyes went from gray to silver. Unfortunately those momentes were scarce and went as quickly as they came.

Though if Harry thought about it, he soon came to the conclusion that he must be going mad, seeing silver instead of gray, _actually enjoying_ the sight of Draco's smile.

_Malfoy dammit!_

He shook his head several times to clear his thoughts as the door to Malfoy's laboratory slowly opened. The gray-eyed man was stiring many contents at the same time, going from one cauldron to the other. Harry grimaced as he thought about how tired he must be by the end of the day.

Draco Malfoy had taken the Dark Mark, but unlike the other Death Eater he hadn't killed or tortured anyone, the only thing he did was fix the Vanishing Cabinet and let Tom Riddle's lackeys enter Hogwarts. He had a trial and Harry stood for him in front of the Minister. They gave him a "five year probation", five years in which he is forbidden to use his wand and all of his apparations are dutifully documented. After both of his parents were sent to Azkaban – Lucius without a chance of another hearing- Dra-_Malfoy _was left without a wand, money – for it was confiscated- and family to help him.

'_At least he has a good job now.' _Harry thought. Still it wasn't enough, nor nearly. Draco's laboratory is the smallest and dustiest. His reputation hasn't gotten any better despite his hard work and talent. The brown haired man shook his head as he saw the poor conditions Draco has to work.

Mal-fucking-foy dammit! "Something wrong with your potion Potter?" He heard the deep voice bring him back to reality. Malfoy held a small vial with a purple potion inside, apparently he had asked for Harry to check it but the Boy-Who-Lived had his mind elsewhere.

"No, it's not that...I was just thinking that you deserve a better work place than this. Your Potions are the best we got anyway." He said with a shrug of his shoulders trying to sound nonchalant.

Malfoy's eyes widened and blinked quickly for a while, taking in what he had just heard. "I don't need your pity Potter." He said curtly, his cold expresion back on his aristocratic face.

"I never pitied you Malfoy. God, why does everything has to be so difficult with you?" Harry murmured the question, shaking his head.

"Maybe because there is no other way for us." The other replied, almost whispering.

"Yeah, maybe we will never stop fighting." Harry took the –now sealed- vial and stared at Malfoy, intense gray eyes met his for a second before turning away and staring off into space.

"The choices we made in the past cannot be changed now." His voice was hollow and his gaze was distant and sad. With a quick shook of his head he went back to the other cauldrons. "Come back whenever you need another potion." He said business like and turned his back on Harry.

Harry fidgeted with the potion, not wanting to leave knowing that things only got worse between the two of them. He raised his head to observe Malfoy, his back was turned and he completely ignored the Auror's presence. Giving up with an angry sigh Harry made his way to the door.

"_The choices we made in the past cannot be changed now."_

"_You will soon find out some wizarding families are much better than the others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." _

_He held out his hand to shake H__arry's, but Harry didn't take it._

Harry stopped dead on his track and held his breath. What if he had accepted Draco's hand? What would have happened? Would he be able to avoid at least a portion of what he suffered from the bullies in Slytherin? Or maybe...maybe he could have made Draco see that things weren't as his father always taught him...unfortunately there is nothing to do about the it certainly can be done about the future.

"You're right we can't change the past, but we can do something about now." He said, so soflty he wondered if Dra-Malfoy heard him. He turned back, walking up to Malfoy and staring at him again, apparently he had heard. "You were not like them, you were just a spoiled brat with a twisted perspective of life given to you by your father." At this Malfoy opened his mouth to protest, but the intensity in Harry's green eyes stopped him. "The war is over, those believes are buried. We are not boys anymore Draco."

_Draco?! Had he really said that out loud?!_

"We work together and I don't want my work to be unpleasent because of some school grudges, surely you don't want it either." Seconds passed until pink lips turned into a very familiar sneer. "And what do you want then? A truce?" He asked, sarcasm in his voice. "We've been trying that, as you can see, it doesn't work." Harry shook his head, a small smile on his lips.

"No, I want a new beginning altogether." He paused, suddenly unsure, but buried the feeling. "Hi, I am Harry Potter." The bespectacled man answered and held his hand for Malfoy to shake. The other hesitated, biting his lower lip nervously as his gaze went from Harry's eyes to his hand. Finally with a tiny smile and a silver look that went from curiosity to surprise he shook Harry's hand.

"Hi. I am Draco Malfoy."

Harry had no idea the impact of this moment in his life. At least, not now.

---

Harry sipped his coffee and gazed at Malfoy from the corner of his eyes. The silver eyed man was sitting at a nearby chair beside the window, his eyes were either glued on the book on his hands or simply observing people as they walked by.

The very fact that Draco Malfoy actually went frequently to a Muggle coffee shop seemed like a joke when he heard it from Ron's lips, but as he stood there, noticing how Malfoy seemed to really like being there, he found it hard to believe.

He kept trying to see something wrong with the way Malfoy treated the muggle waiters, but there was nothing unusual there – on the contrary, the blonde was extremely polite. Sometimes he would grimace when observing someone – usually a woman, Harry would follow his eyes and find out he was just looking at shoes, purses and other acessories. It took a while for Harry to figure out that Malfoy was _judging muggle outfits._

He almost laughed himself silly when he noticed that, thinking about how much of a poof Malfoy was for doing something so woman-like, how incredibly unbecoming was for him to be simply sitting there wearing muggle clothes and well...acting normal.

Since they had decided to start over Harry began seeing so many changes in Malfoy's behaviour, things that were probably always there, childish fights and school grudges blinding his sight.

He was truly –albeit reluctantly- impressed.

So lost in thought he didn't notice a presence beside him, not until the person started talking.

"Really Potter, I know you want a "new beginning" or something along those lines but sneaking around isn't exactly demonstrating that you trust me, is it?" He asked, an eyebrow raised, a funny twinkle on his eyes.

"That's because I _don't_ trust you yet Malfoy, and I wasn't sneaking." He answred, sipping his coffe and watching as Malfoy ordered another one and sat on the stool by his side.

"Always blunt like a Gryffindork, right Potter?"

"And you, always rude like a Slytherin." Harry shot back. Oh c'mon after more than six years of bad treatment surely he could get out of this one unharmed. Malfoy smirked, but for the first time it wasn't a smug or scornful smirk, it was simply an amused one.

"Slytherins are not rude, we are sarcastically clever." Malfoy retorted. Harry smiled and shook his head.

"You regularly go to muggle coffee shops but never stopped the witty retorts, funny how some things don't change. But then again, funny how something _do _change." He said, gesturing around, a puzzled look on his face.

"As you said before, the war is over, the old believes are buried." He answered, looking fixedly at his coffee. "I like this place, it has a good coffee and tables in quiet corners that allow me to read in peace. Besides it is somehow entertaining to observe muggles." He ended with a shrug.

"Yeah, I noticed." Harry commented, a small smirk of his own.

"What?" Malfoy straightened his position on the stool and stuffed his chest slightly. Harry choked on his coffee while he laughed.

"No need to get so defensive, I just thought it was funny to see you judging muggle clothes." The other's posture relaxed considerably.

"Well...they do dress some pretty horrendous clothing. Pretty much like the things _you _used to wear back in school. Though, you probably _still _haven't figured out how to dress properly." He sighed exaggeratedly and shook his head.

"God, you really _did _observe me, didn't you?" Draco blushed prettily and cleared his throat before answering.

_It's Malfoy for Merlin's sake! __And he __**is not pretty!**_

"You were observed by everybody, not just me Potter."

Harry nodded, although he felt as if there was more to it than Malfoy was letting him know.

"Anyway, nice chit-chat but I have work to do." He finished his cup of coffee and left the money and a tip on the counter. Standing up he said as he put his coat on. "And Potter, er...sorry for being so _sarcastically clever_ the other day, remarks about my work aren't usually sincere when they come from Aurors."

Harry would have smiled at his choice of words if he weren't so surprised at the fact that a Malfoy, _Draco Malfoy, _had _apologized _to him. He looked up to answer, but there was no one there anymore.

Draco had left, leaving the brunette confused and dumbfounded, but for the first time ever since they met, it was over a good thing.

---

It was late for lunch, but since they all had a very busy schedule they were used to having a late lunch. It was their luck the restaurant was almost empty, only couples or group of friends talking while drinking some coffee, otherwise they would cause an _even bigger _scene.

"I am very proud of you Harry." Hermione said as she heard about the new sort of, er, truce he made with Draco. Harry smiled uneasily at her before turning to Ron whose jaw was dropped and his eyes were wide.

"You've got to be bloody joking Harry!" He almost yelled, half of the people around them turning their heads to see where the noise was coming from.

"Control yourself Ronald!" Hermione angrily whispered and put a hand on his arm, but instead of being listened to, Ginny, who was sitting beside Harry and across from her brother, shook her head several times.

"Ron is right. Are you out of your mind? Have you forgotten what his father did to me? What he did to all of us?!" She asked him, staring into his eyes, looking furious.

"It was his father! It was the way he was raised Ginny, just like we believed in something, he believed in something else entirely."

"Harry is right, all of that is in our past, we should move on. Be a better person." Hermione backed him up, he nodded at her, thanking her.

"Screw all of that! Because of his father my sister nearly died! He bullied us all of the time, he made _your _life even harder than it already was!" Ron said, dropping huge doses of guilt onto Harry, the brunette winced at every phrase.

"He is right. Because of him Dumbledore died. He fought against us in war Harry!"

"He had to! His parents were going to be killed if he didn't do so! What would you do for your parents Ginny?" She was about to protest – along with Ron- but closed her mouth. "Most of the things he did was under his father's orders, and eventually, Voldemort's."

She shivered at the name but replied anyway. "I understand what he suffered through the war but before that...No one has that much power over someone's elses life Harry, not even the person's parents." Harry narrowed his eyes, Hermione stopped Ron from interfering.

"_You mother _forbid you from joining the Order, from fighting at war, there was nothing _you _could've done to disobey her orders Ginny!" He answered, losing his temper, his voice raising at every word.

"Oh and now you are throwing that in my face?! God Harry! Why are you being like this over scum like him?! You know what, do and think what you want, I will not continue this fight here. We'll talk when you get home." She stood up and left, Harry watched her go while her questions resonated in his head.

"Ron, Ron, leave please, we'll talk at home too. Let's cool down before we continue offending each other." He turned sharply in his chair, watching as Ron's face had turned the same shade as his hair. The redhead glared at him before following his sister's steps.

Hermione stirred her coffee plenty of times before slowly drinking, silent all the time. Harry watched her movements, sensing how uneasy this made her.

"Look Harry...I understand what you are trying to do, but did you need to fight so hard? They would've come around eventually." She softly said, her eyes searching his.

_Yeah, why __**did**__ you fight so hard? It's only Dra-Malfoy._

"I guess I just lost my temper, I am sorry." He shook his head, as if such action would clear it and give him an answer for his behaviour.

"Yes, I happen to know how you get when you have a strong opinion about something or someone. Nothing stops you. But why are you defending Malfoy all of the sudden Harry?"

"Well...he has changed you know? He actually apologized to me over something he said the other day, he is really polite with muggles, works hard...and well, I don't want to be another one of those prejudiced Aurors."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I was with a group of Aurors at the laboratory's floor, we were waiting for Malfoy's potions and they were talking..."

"_He has absolutely no right to work here, he should be in Azkban along with others like him." A tall one mentioned, cracking the knuckles on his left hand in a menacing way as he stared at Draco's door._

"_Well, I suppose we should thank him, thanks to people like him, his family and friends we have a job!" A shorty ironically commented, the others laughing along with him._

"_What do you think Potter?" Harry did not even know who asked, all he could focus on was mercury eyes staring straight into his, an arched eyebrow, waiting for his reply as well._

"_I think that if the Minister gave him a job than he deserves to be here as much as any of us do. Excuse me." He said and left, thinking of some other way to get the potion without talking to Malfoy._

"I just...I understand what is like being judged. He is trying, I don't see why we shouldn't give him a chance."

A knowing look was on her eyes, as if she had just found out something very obvious to her, but of course, not to him.

"I think that you see yourself a bit in him don't you? Always trying hard even when no one believed in you. And I cannot believe Aurors act like that! Well, I will back you up on this but, let's take one step at time ok?" She asked him, smiling, he smiled back, despite his concern over their fight.

One step at a time it is then.


	2. The Tattle Tale

**A/N:**

yummytimelord: I'm glad you liked it! I really wasn't sure abou the plot, your review helped my confidence a bit -lol. Please continue to read and review.

Review everyone~

**---**

**The Tattle Tale**

After the fight he had with his friend and girlfriend Harry decided to er..._dogde_ Malfoy for a while. Not long, just...enough so he wouldn't fight with Ron and Ginny again.

"_I just want to avoid problems at work Ginny!" She eyed him suspiciously, her face shut in a frown._

"_Fine. Though I think we both know it's not just that, I'll let it pass for now. But I don't want to hear a word about Malfoy anymore Harry." She ordered him, quietly standing from the couch and going to their bedroom. _

_He hated the fact that he would have to sleep on the couch for another night; but feeling as if he was talking to a mother not his girlfriend was something that he hated even more._

He promised not to mention the subject ever again, it would be easier if there was nothing to mention right?

Shame that things not always go the way we would like to.

After three weeks of managing to _cough _dodge _cough _Malfoy, using potions from other makers Harry could not take it anymore. He hated to admit, but_ damn _Malfoy is good at his job.

'_I'm just going to get a potion, no biggie.'_

Burning mercury disagreed with that statement though. Harry could've sworn there was almost a dark aura around Malfoy, his glare piercing through Harry.

"So much for a new beginning eh Potter?" The blonde asked disdainfully while he poured Veritaserum in a small vial for Harry. "Ashamed to tell it to your little Auror friends?"

"Look, Malfoy, I just-"

"No, it's fine. Guess I should have expected it, payback is a bitch huh?" Malfoy bit his lip, shaking his head, Harry opened his mouth to protest but the other kept cutting him off. "I thought you were better than them." He said quietly, Harry's jaw dropped.

After finally processing D-_Malfoy's _words, he answered. "I told my friends and girlfriend about it, they fought with me. I just...gave it some time." Silver eyes blinked rapidly before turning away from him completely.

"Oh. I understand then. Here is your potion Potter." Malfoy quickly said, shoving the vial in Harry's hand and pratically pushing him out of the room.

"Wait! I..." Harry began, but truthfully there was nothing to be said, no excuses.

"Don't sweat it Potter. It _is _what _usually happens _anyway." He said and went back to his caldrouns, stirring and adding the proper ingredients.

"No, I...I shouldn't have avoided you. I guess that I just want some peace and quiet for once." Malfoy observed him, and albeit there was sadness in his eyes for ome tiny seconds, he shook his head and answered, comprehending.

"I think you made the right decision, back in our first year." It took an entire minute for Harry to grasp what decision Malfoy was talking about. By the time the brunette finally figured it out, the blonde was biting his lip to keep himself from smiling at Harry's slowness.

_He bites a lot on his lip..._Harry thought as he glanced at Draco's mouth, slapping himself mentally when he realized what he had done.

"No. Besides that's past. I offered _my _hand four weeks ago and _you took it._ If we can get passed our history surely everyone else can." He attempted to make a joke, a tiny smile broke into Dra-Malfoy's face.

_You do know that sometime you'll have to stop calling him Malfoy? _The brunette ignored his conscience and focused.

"I don't want to disturb your _peace and quiet _Potter."

"Eleven year old Malfoy would beat you stupid for passing up that opportunity." They both smiled.

"Didn't you just say that that's past?" Malfoy asked, tricking him and a slight pink hue appeared on the Auror's cheeks.

"Yeah, well, I-I haven't really...er..."

"Always eloquent like a true Griffyndork." Malfoy cut him off, amusement on his eyes.

"You would be surprised at how Slytherin I can be." Malfoy snorted at Harry's teasing, arms folding as the Malfoy patented smirk appeared on his lips.

"Oooh, I am really scared now." The Auror held his laugh, a smirk of his own on his mouth.

"You should be Ferret." He said and turned, leaving the room, hearing Malfoy's deep and smooth chuckle come from behind him.

He ignored the shiver that ran through his spine, a grin on his lips. '_Well, that wasn't so bad.'_

---

"I cannot believe this! Why is _he _here?" Ron asked, looking like he was about to burst as he observed Malfoy from afar.

"It's a Ministry party, he works in the Ministry, that's why he is here Ronald." Hermione tiredly explained, rolling her eyes.

"I agree with Ron. He is obviously not welcomed here, he should not have come."

"_See_!" Ron said, pointing at his sister. Both Hermione and Harry sighed at this.

"No, I do not _see _anything, now stop acting so childish and behave yourself!" Hermione said while she straightened Ron's black bow tie and fixed her lilac dress for the tenth time.

"I look like a bloody waiter." Ron complained, murmuring something about how he should not have listened to his mother. Ginny and Harry chuckled, feeling the mood lighten, and even Hermione smiled a bit, her cheeks turning a deep shade of red. "I don't get why we have to wear Muggle outfits."

"Because the muggle Prime-Minister is here along with many important muggles. It would scare them." Hermione explained, Ron shrugged.

"How come do you always know what to wear to these things?" He asked, looking at Harry, who was dressed in a black suit and tie, a dark green shirt beneath.

"I bet he wasn't the one who picked the outfit, am I right Gin?" A strange voice came from Ginny's side and Harry felt her lose the grip on his right arm a bit. "Potter, Granger, Weasley."

Blaise, a tall and dark skinned man nodded at them before briefly kissing Ginny on the cheek and winking at her. Ron and Harry exchanged widened looks, the brunette took a step back, forcing Ginny to do the same, so there was an significant distance between them.

"I didn't know you had met Zabini." Harry had always known that Blaise Zabini worked in Muggle Relations –surprising at first, until he found he only took the job to escape going to Azkaban, but he had no idea how the man met his wife. The green monster that had been hibernating for all these years decided to show it's claws again.

"He works in the same department as Dad does, whenever I go see Dad, I see him as well." She said and shrugged, ignoring his searching look and taking a glass of butterbeer from one of the waiter's hands.

Harry didn't know at what he should be more pissed off. At the fact that she knew and talked to Zabini frequently or that she could forgive _him _for all his mistakes but _not Draco._

_Wasn't it 'Malfoy dammit!'?_

"Yeah, well, it's a nice place to work, pretty quiet and calm, and I don't have nearly as many work hours as some of my friends." He mentioned, drinking half of the Firewhisky from the glass he just took.

"You must be talking about Draco." Hermione said, surprising everyone. Draco? What?

"He supplies potions for Saint Mungus too, doesn't he?" Blaise asked and Harry paid a closer attention to the conversation, Ginny left his side and started to talk with her brother, both of them agreeing on how they should not bother to talk about Malfoy.

"Yes, weekly. I don't know how he manages, it's way too much to do." She said, shaking her head, Zabini sighed and took another sip of the Firewhisky.

"It's what he got you know? Either that or...well, he made the right decision."

"Who are you talking about?" The subjet of their talk appeared in between Hermione and Blaise, taking a glass of Firewhisky from a waiter nearby.

Harry held his breath for a moment, in all of those years of hating him back in school he never quite noticed just how...well he had to admit, _handsome_ Malfoy was. He was wearing a light metalic gray suit, black shirt and tie. It made his eyes stand out, his straight white-blonde hair falling a bit over them, his cheeks lightly colored from the alcohol.

Harry suddenly felt hotter than before and hastily took a firewhisky from one of the muggle waiters, after a long sip he felt a bit better. Focusing back on the conversation again he noticed that Draco had partially froze when he aknowledge Harry's presence.

"Malfoy." A polite nod.

"Potter." A _tense _polite nod.

"So Draco, how are the new half-veela potions coming up?" Hermione asked, her eyes travelling between Draco and Harry, Zabini looked at them with mild interest, his eyes scanning the room for women.

"Not good actually, I know I'm getting closer to the solution but I haven't got the budget to make too many potions for just this problem." He shook his head several times, twirling his firewhisky and ice before drinking.

Ron approached them, as he got closer to his wife and put an arm around her waist his eyes followed Malfoy warily. Hermione looked at him questioningly but said nothing. Ginny approached Harry as well, and he mimicked Ron's move as he saw the new direction Zabini's gaze took.

"...Oh well, guess they will have to get used to their veela-breakdowns before we find the solution."

"They send me howlers every bloody week, trust me, some of them deserve it." Hermione laughed and Draco smiled.

Ron got even more protective and pulled her closer to him, making her trip slightly, she glared at him. Seeing this, Zabini laughed and shook his head.

"No need to go mad jealous Weasley, Draco won't steal her, she is not exactly the kind he likes, no like any woman will ever be." Zabini blinked at Draco and laughed even more when the silver eyed man turned beet red from head to toe, furious eyes piercing Zabini with their glare. Harry, Ron and Ginny stood there looking puzzled, only Hermione seemed to know what he meant, and she too blushed.

"Wow thanks Blaise, why don't you just announce it to everyone one in the room?!" He whispered hotly, gripping the glass on his hand tightly. "If you would all excuse me, I have better things to do." He said, his tone had gone cold and sarcastic, like it was back in school, his posture was rigid and he was almost sneering at Zabini.

"That was cruel Zabini." Hermione said, her expression hard, the dark man merely shrugged.

"It's pretty damn obvious, don't know how he manages to hide it."

"You still have no right to keep telling everyone like that."

"I have been friends with him longer than you with Potter, I believe I know my rights over Draco, _Granger_."

"Oh, excuse me for being a _considerate new _friend that actually gives a damn!" Uh oh, Hermione swearing, that wasn't good at all, she was getting closer to Zabini, he stared down at her, enraged.

"Don't act like you know us Granger, you don't know my motives to have said what I said."

"Oh what reasons could you possibly have? Besides, of course, mocking him in public." Zabini took a deep breath, but it wasn't so he could calm down, he was getting ready to swaer at her, Ron stood there dumbly, still confused as to why Hermione was defending Draco and what Zabini had said.

Ginny leaned towards Zabini, looking worried, apparently she was going to try and calm him down. Harry took a mental note to ask her 'what the fuck is going on?' later.

"Mione, Zabini, that's enough. You are clearly not going to agree on whatever it is you disagree on, and we are drawing a lot of unwanted attention."

Harry explained, and it was like they woke up from a dream. They were in a far corner from the dance floor and the dining tables, still, the couples and small groups around them observed and whispered amongst themselves.

"I better excuse myself as well, before I do something stupid." Zabini said, nodding at the three of them and glaring at Hermione. Harry watched he go to Draco, the blonde was leaning on the wall but instantly recovered his cocky posture as Zabini approached, leaving him seconds later.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked, suspiciously looking at his wife. "Why are _you _defending him as well?"

"Oh it's not like that Ronald! Zabini just had no right to say _that_ about Draco."

"Say 'that' what? I don't get it. And since when Malfoy is Draco to you?!"

"Besides Hermione, Zabini was probably joking, from the fame Malfoy had back in school I doubt what he said was true." Ginny said and searched Zabini and Malfoy through the crowd.

"I am with Ron here, I have no idea what he meant." Harry heard Ron whispering _'See!'_ and Hermione slapped her own forehead.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing for him you both are so oblivious. No Ron, I will not tell you what Zabini meant, and it has been Draco since he started making potions for St. Mungus as well. I see him at least once per week."

"Hermione, you don't actually think it's true?" Ginny said, a surprised expression on her face. Hermione said nothing.

"What is this event about anyway?" Harry asked a simple question, to lighten the mood.

"To introduce the new Prime-Minister and other important political muggles to our world, prove that we are not dangerous and all that." Hermione asnwered him, Ginny looked confounded.

"Why would muggles think we are dangerous?"

"Dad says they have this weird thing called 'movies' about us, and some books too, we are evil and kill them."

"That's crazy, we would never do that." She paused. "Well, er...some of us did, but..." She trailed of and her hair swayed as she shook her head, clearing her thoughts. "Harry, since we are here why don't we dance?" Ginny's bright brown eyes met green and she pouted, trying to erase the awkward moment. Harry groaned inwardly, he was still pants at dancing.

"Must we really?" He asked, hoping she would give up, a grin broke into her face and she kissed him chastely before taking his hand and dragging him to the dance floor.

All the while he was dancing, hugging and kissing Ginny he felt like he was being observed. He twirled them once, trying to catch who was eyeing him, there nothing there, nothing but a black wall.

Funny, he could have sworn he caught a flash of gray and silver.

---

"_That_ was low Zabini." Draco said, angryly sitting on his chair, carelessly putting the napkin on his lap.

"What? You weren't going to tell him, I had to let him know somehow." Pansy arched an eyebrow, looking at them with interest, ignoring the salad on her plate.

"With the _Weasleys _there? Are you bloody mad?!"

"What are you two talking about? Though I must say I love seeing you fight, it is quite boring if I have no idea what are you fighting about." Pansy said, supporting her head on her hands, elbows ungraciously on the table.

"I just casually implied that Draco is gay to Potter." Pansy's eyes widened, her mouth in a small 'oh'.

"Yes, Potter, the Weasellete _and _the Weasel." Draco sneered and Blaise ran a hand through his hair.

"Look Draco, you weren't going to tell him! I just took matters in my own hands."

"He is straight Zabini, _and _he is dating the Weasellete. It's just _not going to happen._"

"He is right about that Blaise. I personally never saw Potter check out any guys. Or girls for that matter, he is pratically assexual." Pansy said with a grimace. "Shame, he is not all bad."

Zabini grinned madly at Pansy. "I thought that too, until I saw him ogling Draco today."

"Shut it. You imagined things Blaise."

"Don't shut it, do tell me! Why am I never present for these things?"

"I imagined nothing, he almost drooled when you got close, he got all flushed and took a long sip from his drink. I took a chance when I saw one, which is exactly what _you _should do."

"He is right Drakie, we are both really tired of this shenanigan of yours. It was easier to listen to you when you hated him."

"I do not talk about him anymore and stop calling me Drakie!" Pansy laughed through her nose, an awful sound that reminded Draco of a pig.

"No you don't, I guess that's a bigger problem. You just sulk, pine, observe and think about him. Half of the time you're with us your mind is elsewhere. I am sick of it."

"_We _are sick of it." Pansy added.

"Fine, I get it. _But I do not do those things." _He murmured, taking a sip of butterbeer. Blaise laughed hard.

"Oh yes you do. You're doing it right now." He said and Draco blinked, realizind he was staring at the happy couple, wishing the redhead would die of a very painful, slow death.

_Damn!_

"I suppose you're right, but don't pretend you did that for my sake only, we both you know you have your own egoistical motives." Pansy eyed Draco curiously, then Blaise, who had shut up and looked away, his eyes catching a flash of red hair before he blinked and stood up, looking for some random woman to take home for the night.

They were both fucked.


	3. Blaise's Motives

**A/N:**

crimsoneyes44: Well, considering it is Hermione I guess 'damn' is as far as she will go when it comes to swearing XD. Thanks for reading this fanfic as well, I know I have been taking a while to update...well...I am sorry =/.

yummytimelord: Thank you *-*, well, I ned it because as you can see I don't get a lot of reviews which often makes me wonder if there is something wrong with my fanfics. Thanks for skipping your family to read and review! Hope you can review this chapter too!

---

**Blaise's Motives.**

"I am still lost as to what the fuss is all about." Harry said and took a bite of his pumpkin pie. They were eating at his office, away from the prying looks of the other Aurors.

"What fuss?" Mafloy asked distractedly, reluctantly picking a piece of pizza with his hands. Harry insisted that he tried them, so he didn't argue. He took a bite and put the pizza back in his plate, grimacing at the grease on his fingertips. Harry tried not to laugh while eating, he did not want to choke.

Offering Malfoy a napkin he answered, "At the Ministry party. I still don't understand why Hermione reacted that way and what Zabini was talking about." It had been just a week ago and the scene was still fresh in Harry's head.

Malfoy seemed disinclined from answering, moving papers away from Harry's desk, trying to mantain them as white and clean as they were before they started having lunch at Harry's office.

"Well, Granger was propably just angry that Blaise said something so carelessly, something that I have a hard time hiding, especially from people at work, or people like the Weas-" Harry glared. "Weasley, who would just take advantage of that and use it against me. What?" Malfoy asked, seeing Harry's confused look.

"I just didn't understand what he meant." He explained quietly, rubbing the back of his neck in embarassment. Draco looked surprised for a second and then laughed out loud.

_Malfoy damm- oh who was he kidding? Fine, Draco._

"I am gay, Potter." Harry blinked once, twice.

"Huh?" Draco chuckled and covered his mouth, preventing the pumpkin juice he had just drank from leaving his mouth.

"That's what Blaise meant."

Harry muttered a small 'oh' and stayed silent for a couple of minutes. That made sense. Explained why Malfoy judged muggle clothes –he snickered at the memory, how his hair was so perfectly tamed, how his lips always looked _so pink..._

"You're probably going back to hating me now huh?" The blonde's quiet voice woke him up from his reverie. Guarded silver eyes watched his every move.

"Not really, you're not the only gay person that I know, that is my friend." He fixed quickly.

"Really? Name one." Draco smirked, crossing his arms as he dared Harry.

"Seamus Finnigan _and_ Dean Thomas. Not only did I mention two names, they also happen to be gay _together._"

"Hm, I always suspected those two back in school. But then again, I also suspected Dumbledore so I guess I didn't have a very good sense for knowing who was gay or not." The blonde shrugged.

"Oh you had perfect sense. Dean and Seamus only got together after Hogwarts but they had liked each other for ages. And, don't tell anyone but... you were right about Dumbledore." Harry casually said, conjuring two glasses of pumpkin juice for them. Draco's jaw dropped and his eyes widened, it was very unbecoming but very funny and, dare he say, cute.

"No way in Hell! You're joking Potter."

"Nope. Hermione found out Merlin's know how." Draco laughed, his eyes shinning, his hair swaying from side to side as he shook his head, Harry smiled, for some reason he really enjoyed seeing Draco laugh.

"That sick old man. I am truly surprised." He said, jokingly, a smirk on his lips. "At least I know I can trust you with this." His expression turned serious again and it took Harry a moment to understand what he meant.

"This? Huh,...oh! Right. I won't tell anyone."

"I am awfully tired of mentioning how incredibly eloquent you are Potter."

Harry chuckled as he thought of a retort. They ended their lunch well, with just a couple of teasing comments and old nicknames. Draco's company was suprisingly pleasant.

Only three days later, at the end of the day, after everyone _but him _had finished their paperwork and gone home, he realized what Draco had said.

The blonde man was _gay._

Gay as in, _he likes other men._

For some unknown reason that unsettled Harry a tiny bit. He didn't know why, he just knew that the fact that Draco was gay made him feel uneasy but not in an entirely bad way. It was all so mixed up that he could not understand how he felt about it.

He accepted of course, but still...

"Harry!" He jumped in his chair, staring at the fireplace in his office where Hermione's head was currently in.

"Hi 'Mione. Sorry, I was just distracted."

"Oh...is everything alright?" She asked, worried.

"Don't worry, everything is fine, I was just thinking." She arched an eyebrow, but said nothing. "Anyway, what do you need to tell me?"

"Right! Molly prepared a big dinner tonight, says she misses her children. She is demanding that you leave your office this instant and go to the Burrow. C'mon Harry, it's late, it's a Friday night, you can finish this on Monday." She pleaded, he chuckled at Mrs. Weasley's antics.

"I'll be right there." She looked doubtful but took his word for it and left.

"Big family dinner waiting for you Potter? Ugh, I can't imagine how many freckled faces will be there." Draco said playfully, a smile on his lips. He was leaning by Harry's door frame, there was a ray of sunshine on his face, especially on his eyes, they shone silver, hidden under white-blonde bangs of his hair. He looked beautiful. Harry swallowed deeply.

"Better than Parkinson at any rate." Draco frowned but agreed, Harry swore at himself for saying such a nonsense.

'_Oh...he is flushing under the sunlight...' _And then he got distracted again.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. Anyway, just came to give you the regular Auror potions for the next two weeks." He said, removing a pile of magically shrinked bags filled with several vials in it. Harry stared, trying to pick up what he just said, he had not heard properly, too focused on Draco's skin.

"Why? You're not quitting are you?" Draco snorted at the question.

"And go to Azkaban? I don't think so. I am going on a trip, observe Veelas or something like that, try to finish a potion for St. Mungus. Why? Worried that you'll miss me when I'm gone?" He smirked in a predatory manner.

"Yeah, you wish." Harry replied and Draco's stomach did an unpleasant flip. Yeah, he really did wish. _Really, really __**does **_wish.

"No need to deny or worry, I'll be back by the end of the week, _you'll have me_ by Monday." Draco retorted, purposefully putting an innuendo on the phrase.

Harry swallowed again, he would not think about the meaning of that phrase. Will not. Why ever since he found out that Draco is gay he seems to be noticing the other man more than he should?

"A week without you? How will I ever survive?" He mocked, placing a hand over his heart.

"Oh, poor baby. I'll make it up to you when I get back." Draco answered with a wink and a malicious smirk, voice husky. "See you Potter." Harry blinked many times, his heart had sped up – Merlin knows why – and he felt hot, flushed.

"Yeah, s-see you when I see you Draco." Draco's teasing posture faltered and he laughed at the brunette, turning around and leaving. Harry could feel his cheeks heat as he heard the other man's laugh float through the corridor.

'_See you when I see you? What was that?!'_

---

The entire Weasley family was there, along with Luna, Neville, Seamus, Dean, Fleur, Harry and suprisingly enough, Blaise Zabini.

The twins were joking with everyone, remembering the things they did back in Hogwarts, mentioning how great business was going. The married couples on the table seemed to be having a private dinner of their own with the exception of course, of Mr. And Mrs. Weasley that were merrily talking to everyone.

"So Zabini, who invited you?" Harry asked, not managing to hide how upset he was that the other man was there. Ginny elbowed him and he glared at her.

"Oh I did Harry m'boy. He has no family to dine with, and we've got plenty of room to acomodate everyone for dinner." Arthur Weasley explained, Harry felt partially sorry, he had forgotten that both of Zabini's parents were in Azkaban, like Draco's.

_Draco..._

He blushed just remembering him. He had made a fool of himself just because the other man had teased him!

_It was more like flirted, actually._

He shook his head and poured more pumpkin juice in his glass, focusing on the conversation held at the table.

"...he pretends it's nothing but he is really excited about this trip. It's the first time the Minister allows him to leave the country, not to mention he can find a lot of ingredients and bring them with him." Zabini was saying, everyone was paying attention, but Harry had no idea who he was talking about.

"But isn't it ilegal?" Hermione asked, looking reproachful.

"Well, he doesn't really has an option now does he? He is barely making it on his own, receives a small wage and spends most of it with potions ingredients. At least this trip will help him save some money."

Wait...were they talking about...Draco?

"He is one poor bloke, literally now. When he first started making potions for our Skiving Snackbox we didn't pay him, just to mess with him, you know, payback." Hermione was about to say something but Fred raised his hand, politely –in his own way- asking her to shut up. George continued,

"But after two months we were already feeling sorry for the fellow. It was right after the Wizengamot's sentence, he looked pretty sick and tired. One day he went to give us our potions and his stomach grumbled-

"-really, really loud, poor guy-"

"-he looked like he was going to faint from embarassment, or hunger, we are not entirely sure-

"-we offered to buy him lunch, he denied at first but accepted eventually, after that-"

"-we started paying him for his potions." The twins finished, Harry's jaw was dropped, along with many others. Blaise sighed.

"Served him right, at least he payed for what he did to us and many others." Dark brown eyes narrowed as they looked at Ron.

"Don't act like that Ronald! We've seen what that family went through, besides ever since the war we didn't hear one bad word from young Malfoy." Mrs. Weasley said.

"She is right Ron, just like I am, just like Harry is. You really should give others a chance." Hermione complemented, Ron picked at his food, murmuring impatiently.

"I agree with Ron though." Ginny said, calmly drinking her pumpkin juice.

"Ginny-"

"Should I leave then Ginevra?" Zabini asked Ginny, cutting Mrs. Weasley comment. "Because I am a very good friend of Draco's and a former Death Earter myself." She did not look back at him, flushing deeply, staring fixedly at her plate.

Everyone stayed silent, looking from one of them to the other. Harry put a protecting hand over Ginny's shoulder, showing that he was there, but she seemed a bit drawn in her own world.

"So, hm, Zabini, where is this place Draco is going to anyway?" Hermione asked, looking tense.

"Honestly? I've got no idea. I asked him a bunch of times, he refused to answer, something about it being 'top secret'." Everyone chuckled. "He can be a rightful git sometimes." He finished but there was some sort of affection in his voice.

"He said something about Veelas." Harry mentioned, gulping suddenly when a lot of curious looks were directed to him.

"That makes sense. He is working on a potion for half-veelas, but is very tricky. Well, good for him he is..." She paused, paling, then blushed heavily and finished quietly, "not going to be affected by them."

Harry was pretty sure she was going to say 'he is gay', apparently, he wasn't the only one who caught that.

"And to think you almost bit my head off the other day for what I said." Zabini chuckled, receiving a glare from Hermione. The rest of them looked puzzled, except for Luna and the twins. Who knows how they found out. "So Potter, you have been talking to Draco then?"

Harry almost choked on what he was chewing. Ginny looked at him inquisitively. "Yes, I have." He answered shortly and Zabini smirked at him, looking like he knew something Harry didn't.

"He mentioned you a couple of times. Though compared to how much he talked about you in school I gotta say, I see a _whole lot_ of progress. It was always something along the lines of 'Because Potter did this, and Potter did that, blah blah blah Potty, blah blah blah Scarhead!', it was truly annoying." Everyone in the table laughed as Harry smiled meekly, feeling Ginny's anger being directed at him. She must be mad at the fact that he talks to Draco.

To make things _even _better Hermione decided to fill in. "Then he and Harry are definitely more alike than I had imagined. I mean, Harry always complained about Draco but the sixth year was the worst! 'Because I am sure Malfoy is up to something, and I saw Malfoy on Lord knows what floor of the castle, Malfoy is looking suspicious, and Malfoy, Malfoy, Malfoy'," Hermione kept talking, everyone laughing even harder at that, only Harry seemed to be shrinking in his chair, blushing. "He was completely obsessed with Draco, it was awful. He even stalked him for a while."

Zabini wiped the tears on his eyes, gathered enough breath to speak and looked straight at Harry, some unfathomable look on his eyes, "You two would make quite a pair then." Hermione looked confused and then her eyes widened, as if she had found the last piece of a puzzle and Ginny looked deeply offended.

"Stop with the nonsense Blaise. They are merely friends." She angrily said, her light brown eyes staring into his dark ones.

"If you say so." He shrugged, holding her gaze for a while.

Hermione and Ginny stayed silent for the rest of the dinner, other than that everything was cheerful like all the other Weasley's meals together. Harry felt happy, and gave his girlfriend a chaste kiss, to which she didn't respond.

Uh oh. That meant trouble.

---

By the time they arrived home Ginny was looking less angry than at her mother's family dinner, but still upset. She took a lot of deep breaths and paced around the living room.

"Look Harry...I know you and Malfoy became friends, but I would ask you to not contact him this week."

"Well, I probably won't have to, but why are you asking me this?"

"Trust me, this is for your own good, oh yes it is." It seemed almost as if she was talking to herself, finger pointed at nowhere, her head shaking sometimes.

"I don't see why this bothers you so much. You have become good, apparently great friends with Zabini, why is Malfoy so different?" She rubbed her temples, looking tired.

"I will not have this fight with you again Harry. He just is, and if you could see what I see maybe you would agree with me but..." She looked at him, her eyes much gentler than before. Approaching, she put a hand on his cheek and kissed him quickly. "You never know how people feel about you, never see when you are truly admired or...loved. There are things that everyone else sees, and you don't."

"What does that has to do with Malfoy?" He asked ignorantly, feeling a bit stupid for not knowing what she was trying to tell him, she just smiled affectionately.

"It doesn't matter. Just promise me you won't contact him this week. Please."

"Ok, if it means so much to you, I won't." He said and held her in his arms, she rest her head on his chest, sighing.

"You are so much taller now you know? It makes it harder for me to kiss you when we are standing." She mentioned and he chuckled.

"Why don't we go to bed then? You don't seem to have a problem kissing me there." He answered in her ear and felt her shiver.

"You always have the best ideas." She said and kissed him, he sighed, content, and kissed her back.

---

"I don't care Blaise! Stop trying to cause fights between them, stop giving Harry tips, he is happy with Ginny!" Blaise shook his head, taking a drag of the cigarrette in between his fingers.

"I can't believe you made me come here so late into the night just to tell me that Granger."

"I'll drag you anywhere, anytime, if I can prevent you from wrecking their happiness. I've seen the way you stare at my future sister-in-law, I know you're not trying to break them just so Draco can be happy." He froze for a minute, furious at her.

"You're too smart for your own good Granger, still, not smart enough." She eyed him suspiciously, shivering from how cold it was, praying that Ron would not wake up to an empty bed.

"And what do you mean by that?" Zabini ignored her shivers, comfortable in his thick black coat. It was past midnight, late for a married woman to be out of her bed, whispering to a stranger in her backyard, but the tall man had not gone home yet and was wearing the same clothes he wore for the Weasley dinner.

"It means that if you think that's happiness than you're not as smart as I thought. At least Draco likes him for who he is, Merlin knows how that happened, but it's true."

"So? Ginny has loved him for much longer, you have to find better arguments than that."

"I know for a _fact _Granger, that she does not love him." He said, and Hermione decided to ignore the meaning of his phrase. "She loves the image of the Boy-Who-Lived. She loves the Hero of the Wizarding World. Draco loves the specky, clumsy git with glasses. Ginny wants the trophy husband, Draco wants Harry, the kid he grew up with. And you know what? I don't give a fuck at what happens to Potter, you know _exactly why _I'm doing this, and will continue to. Have a good night." He said and in a second he was gone.

Hermione's heart hammered against her chest, as she truly questioned herself: what the hell _was_ Ginny doing?


	4. Nothing But a Stranger

**Nothing But a Stranger**

Damn.

Damn Malfoy _to Hell._

He had missed the git. He had actually _missed _Draco Malfoy. Sometimes life turned upside down in a way that left Harry dumbfounded.

Throughout the week, whenever he went to get a potion from another Potions Master, he remembered Draco. Remembered a joke, a witty remark, something about their past, anything. And every single time he remembered he thought of something to comment.

But to whom? Draco wasn't there.

The whole ordeal was quite stupid really. He had been friends with the git for what now? Two, three months tops?

He guessed it was because...sometimes it felt like Draco understood him better. Whenever they got to a point in the conversation that involved something Harry did not want to talk about, Draco would make a joke and they would forget. They liked the same foods though Draco still hates to eat with his hands. He worked for a longer period as often as Harry did, so it was usual for them to have dinner in the Ministry, or meet up in the hall. After a hard days' work it was nice to have someone to talk to.

At least the weeks had gone by fairly fast, albeit chaotic. He had never seen Hermione shoot back answers as he had seen her with Blaise.

"_Oh excuse me Mrs. Know-it-all. Perhaps I should've asked you! You certainly have all the right answers and choices for every situation, don't you Granger?" She flushed furiously, gripping the silverware while answering._

"_It's Weasley, and my answers and choices are much better than yours, that I can assure you!" _

"_No need to assure me, I am very sure of myself and my own doings, you should worry about yours." _

"_I worry about what I want to, you have absolutely no say in my life, or in anyone else's for that matter!" _

He shivered as he remembered. They had developed a profound hatred for each other, only Ginny seemed to know why, but she didn't tell him. Ron tried to get it out of Hermione but she was so angry she told him to mind his own business.

"You're really not in our world now, are you Potter?" A smooth voice asked from behind him and he turned away from the window in his office, eyes wide.

"Draco!" He kicked himself from saying his first name, but acted like nothing happened. The blonde was there, looking as if he had never left. His hair was a little bigger, falling over his eyes constantly.

"Wow, calling me by my first name? You must have really missed me Potter." There was sarcasm in his voice, as if the blonde didn't believe his own statement. He approached Harry, offering his hand to the other man, they shook it, and for a moment the brunette wished he could hug Draco.

"Would it surprise you if I say that I did?" Draco looked unsettled for a second, eyes wide and an almost imperceptible blush on his cheeks, before he turned back to his usual self, a smirk in place.

He snorted. "Of course not, Potter. It is impossible not to miss such a charming person like myself."

"Oh, so sorry for offending you with such a dumb question."

"You're forgiven." He smiled, trying to contain his laughter. Harry chuckled.

"I am so glad you came running to see me –guess I wasn't the only person who missed someone else- why are you here?" He asked, walking behind his desk and sitting down.

"I came to bring you potions for the next two weeks again." He laughed at Harry's inquisitive look. "We-I mean I'm" He fixed, earning another inquistive look "going to be locked up in my laboratory so I can make the potion that St. Mungus need."

"We, Malfoy?"

"Well, I've brought help, but he can't technically help me, just use my laboratory for his own potions making and the minister is pissed becau-" He rushed to explain, but in truth he had no need to do so. One of the conditions of Draco's work to the Ministry was that he had to work alone, the brunette remembered the sentence.

"Calm down!" The bespectacled man smiled. "I won't tell anyone."

"Gryffindork nobility or something along those lines?" Harry rolled his eyes.

"Something like that."

"Anyway..." Draco continued, walking around Harry's table slowly, his eyes taking a predatory gleam. "Before I left I distinctively remember saying something about how I would 'make it up to you'. Didn't I Potter?" He was standing right beside Harry, his voice had gone low and husky, just like before he left. Harry gulped when Draco's turned the his chair so they were face to face. "Didn't I Potter?" The blonde asked, whispering in his ear, Harry fought a shiver and closed his eyes and Draco's hand disappeared beneath his robes...

"Here it is." Harry opened his eyes, blinked once then twice before actually _seeing _what Draco was holding.

Chocolate. Belgian chocolate. He broke out laughing, ignoring his body's reactions to the other's actions. Just, er, hormones. Yeah, hormones.

_Yeah, right. _He shook his head and pushed the thought to the back of his mind.

"Oh, this is you making it up to me?" He asked as he grabbed the chocolate from Draco's hands, a sheepish smile on the other's face.

"Disappointed are we? Shame you won't be seeing me for another two weeks. Perhaps then I will make it up to you in a better way." He winked and turned to leave, walking to the other.

"Promises, promises Malfoy." Harry joked and Draco turned.

"See you when I see you Potter." There was a smirk there, and the brunette blushed at his own stupidity, Draco chuckled and left, much like the last time.

---

"Onions?"

"Check."

"Potatos?"

"Check."

"Pumpkin?"

Harry rolled his eyes and took the list of things to buy from Hermione's hands. "Mione we've checked this list at least five times, if we want to have dinner today we have to go to your house _now._" He said, she huffed, annoyed.

Not only did he have a horrible, people were already staring at him, some slowly approaching, he could see that they recognized him. _Damn, _he thought, _I can't get some peace, not even at a muggle supermarket!_

"You are too stressed this week. You always checked these lists with me as many times as I wanted." She was almost pouting at him, his conscience was screaming for him to apologize.

"I am sorry, I just had this really tiring mission this week." He said, rubbing the back of his neck. Ignoring the prickling he felt there, knowing that he was being observed by some witches and wizards that were there.

"Yeah, Ginny told me. Three days away huh? Another Death Eater on the run?"

"I wish, it would have been more interesting. It was just a kid with some twisted ideas of right and wrong trying to be Voldemort. Apparated from place to place after casting several spells on muggles and muggleborns. We had to obliviate them all."

"Sorry, guess I am demanding too much from you. We checked the list three times anyway." She said and he allowed her to get the paper and put it back on her purse, they made their way through the corridos to the cashiers.

"I don't know why you still do this." Harry said, smiling at her antics.

"What? Oh, I like my muggle side thank you very much, I think doing this can be very relaxing.. Besides it's fun to observe others." She said and shrugged.

"_...Besides it is somehow entertaining to observe muggles." He ended with a shrug. _

Harry smiled at the memory and at his friend before shaking his head.

"What?" Suspicious brown eyes looked at him.

"What, what?"

"You were smiling, your eyes were distant. What were you thinking about?" She asked, looking at the screen with the food prices. He packed everything and put in the cart.

"I just remembered that someone said almost the exact same thing to me a few months ago." She looked at him, he avoided her prying eyes.

"Who?"

"Malfoy, at a muggle coffee shop." He answered a bit too quickly. Her eyes widened for a second and he prepared himself for the worst.

"Oh, good thing you remembered! I forgot to tell you, I invited Draco over for dinner tonight." Wait, what?

"What?! With Ron _and_ Ginny? Mione, nothing good can come out of this." He warned her, she distractedly waved him off while searching for her wallet.

"It's just dinner, besides they've got to learn how to have a polite and civilized conversation. Futhermore, Draco will have backup. I invited Blaise as well." They were making their way to Hermione's enchanted muggle car, Harry gripped the cart, trying to calm down.

"Of all the people you could've invited, him?"

"Yes I know you dislike him – I do too, I know how he acts around Ginny, but it must be done."

"Oh really? Why?" She turned off the alarm of the car and he helped her put the groceries on the extended back seat.

"Because I am saying so. Harry, just trust me on this ok?"

---

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ginny denied, helping Hermione set the table while Blaise, Ron and Harry talked on the other room.

"Yes, you do. Every time he walks in you seem happier, you reffuse to accept Draco, but you have accepted him. What is going on Ginny? Just talk to me ok?" She took deep breaths and whispered in a strangled voice, pacing around the magically prolonged round dinner table.

"I don't bloody know! I love Harry but...after the war, when we really got together, it felt as if something was missing." She straightned the cream colored linen that covered the simple wood table.

"Yes there was, Voldemort." Hermione answered simply, Ginny gasped and almost dropped the expensive china on the floor.

"Don't say his name! And what does _he _has to do with Harry and me?"

"_I know for a __**fact**__ Granger, that she does not love him. She loves the image of the Boy-Who-Lived."_

Zabini's words had haunted her ever since he had said them. He wasn't wrong, she knew. The reason why Ginny started liking Harry was because of his fame, not because of him. She just never stopped to think that maybe Ginny had never truly fallen in love with the real Harry.

"Maybe he doesn't have the same appeal to you, now that he is just an ordinary guy, with a normal life." Ginny's eyes seemed to pop out of her skull, her ears turning red from anger.

"What are you implying?" Narrowed eyes burned Hermione with their gaze.

"I am not _implying _anyting. I am _saying _that maybe now that you saw that Harry is nothing more than an ordinary guy, not the hero you thought he was, you are disappointed." 

Steps approached them and they continued with the staring contest until Blaise spoke up. "Er...sorry to interrupt whatever it is you two are doing but I don't think Draco's coming so, why don't we all have dinner? Lord knows I'm starving."

"Got to agree on that with you mate. Can we just sit and eat now Mione?" The brown haired woman fought the urge to roll her eyes and slap her husband. _Honestly. _The guy thinks with his _stomach._

She looked at Harry, he was looking at his Firewhiky with disinterest. It seemed as if he was disappointed that Draco wouldn't come. '_Note to self: Reflect upon his reaction later.'_

They were conjuring chairs to sit down when a loud bang came from the living room.

"Ouch, damn I hate using the floo network." A muffled voice murmured through the dust. They walked back to the living room only to see Draco standing there, dusting off his black robes and shaking his head. Hermione watched Harry the entire time, catching the small smile that formed on his lips, his eyes lighting up again.

'_Bad, bad sign.'_

"I am sorry for the delay, I was working late on the St. Mungus potion." He said, frowing at the mess he made in front of her fireplace.

"It's ok, you arrived just in time for dinner! C'mon, don't worry about the mess." She pulled him towards the kitchen, and with a wave of her hand the dust was gone. Draco sighed.

"I miss my wand." The four of them laughed at the kicked puppy expression on Draco's face.

"Just another year before you get it back right?" Harry asked, Hermione felt the blonde man tense beside her before turning to look at him.

"Just! As if it was a day or two. But it is not a day or two Potter, it's three hundred and sixty five days!" He exclaimed and Harry chuckled, conjuring another chair for him_, right by his side._

Hermione slapped her own forehead, Merlin her friends are blind.

---

They took their seats, Ginny sitting in between Hermione and Harry, Ron on Hermione's left side, Zabini next to Ron and Draco between Harry and Zabini. There was a small smile that wouldn't leave Draco's lips, Zabini watched this and smirked maliciously.

"Some kind of work huh? He must be good looking."

"Cut it out Blaise."

"What's going on?" Hermione asked, upset that anyone would make a scene at her dining room.

"Why don't you ask Draco?" All eyes turned to the poor blonde who scowled at Blaise.

"He is just bothering me because of James." Hermione seemed to understand and nodded.

"Er, as much as I _enjoy _not knowing what you're talking about, can I ask who is James?" Ginny asked, serving herself from the dish with Hermione's scalloped potatoes. Draco grimaced at her phrase, hating how much she reminded him of Pansy.

"My lab partner. Well, he doesn't really help me, we just share the lab." Draco was flushing under their scrutiny, Harry watching him from the corner of his eyes.

"Why are you bothering him about that Zabini?" Harry asked, drinking from his butterbeer, directing a hard look to the man. He never liked Zabini, or the way the other treats his wife –suspiciously nice, and now he has something else to dislike: the way he treats Draco.

"Cut the 'lab' of the Draco's phrase and you've got the reason." It took a moment for them to realize what Zabini meant, Hermione, being the smartest person on the table, was the first to comprehend and smiled brightly.

"Really?! Oh, that's great! You should've brought him Draco! It would be great to meet him." For a moment it was like Draco had not heard her, his eyes narrowed to slits at Zabini.

'_Oh...he's dating. That explains a lot.' _Harry lost his apetite for a second or two, feeling slightly angry at Draco for lying to him about the motive as to why no one should go to his lab. Huh, always a Slytherin.

"...I barely know him." The blonde was finishing his explanation to Hermione but she was still smiling, making Draco fidget with his collar, expressing his discomfort.

"At least _now _I know _exactly why _you've locked yourself in your lab." Harry berated himself mentally for sounding nervous and a bit...hurt.

'_What's going on with me?'_

Despite the wide mercury eyes looking at him, the others, except Ron, chuckled at the comment.

"Wait...the Ferre-ouch!" He got a kick from Mione, making everyone laugh even harder. Harry held Draco's gaze for a while longer before turning to Ron. "H-he is a poof?" He stuttered, laughing.

The light mood officially went out the window with his question.

"I would prefere the words homossexual or gay, but, as you so elegantly put it, I am a 'poof'." The Potions Master answered, posture straight and tense, his mouth pressed to a thin line, his eyes held disgust and hatred for the redhead across from him.

"Ron, please, don't be so childish-" Hermione tried, but he kept waving her off, laughing. Harry was appalled to see that Ginny too was giggling discreetly.

"Ron, stop it." Green eyes glared at his best friend, an authoritive tone in his voice that he uses only with Aurors in training; at least now Ron listened.

"C'mon don't tell me you don't think this is funny." He said, wiping the tears from his eyes. Ginny had stopped giggling and resumed eating dinner, Zabini seemed to watch this with incredible interest –'_the fucker', _Draco didn't know wheter he should glare at Ron or stare at Harry and Hermione was so quiet it was scary.

"Do you think Dean and Seamus are funny too?" He asked, voice low, a calm but serious expression on his face. The redhead finally got the message, his ears turning a deep shade of red before he went silent.

They finished eating quietly, Hermione looked nowhere but her own food, taking the plates to the kitchen after everyone was finished and returning with a tray of pumpkin pie and vanille icecream.

"So, Draco, since when have you and James been dating?" Draco chocked on his pie, chewing and swallowing slowly before answering. Ron and Ginny gazed at each other and seemed as if they would start laughing at any minute.

"We haven't. As I explained before, Blaise is bothering me because James is gay and single, like me. That does not mean we will get together." He said, looking at Blaise instead of Hermione.

"I don't see why not, he is exactly the type you like. You know, tall, tanned, dark hair, slightly muscled, his ey-OUCH!" He yelled, bending over to put a hand on his kicked leg, face contorted in pain. "No need to kick me so hard." Ginny and Ron started laughing, but it was hard to tell what they were _really _laughing about.

"You deserved it." It was Hermione who said it, before taking a bite of her pie, ignoring Zabini's looks.

They returned to eat quietly, but from time to time Harry could see Ron and Ginny share looks, smiling deviously while gazing at Draco. He gave up eating, his stomach twisting in knots.

---

"That was ridiculous Ginny." He removed is robes, getting a pijama bottom from his drawer, his back turned to her.

"Harry, do let me have some fun. I mean, I suspected he was gay, but actually knowing...it was more than I could handle." She said, a malicious smile on her lips.

"I still don't understand you. You are so incredibly nice with Zabini, but acts like this towards Malfoy. I thought you were better than that." He answered in a soft tone, eyes showing his disappointement at her, she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out of it.

He walked to the bathroom to take a shower, by the time he was finished she was already sleeping, a frown on her face. He stared at her for long minutes. She was showing sides of her he had never know. Egoistic, unforgiving and childish Ginny. He continue to stare...but he saw nothing.

Nothing but a stranger.


	5. Old Habits Die Hard

**Thanks to everyone that reviewed! I am sorry for not answering each of your reviews individualy, but I don't have the time.**

**Here is your new chapter! Enjoy ^-~.**

**---**

**Old Habits Die Hard.**

"Yeah, who's the new guy?" One the Aurors –Adam, if he wasn't mistaken- asked.

"I saw him coming out of Malfoy's lab, God knows why he went there for." Another one –Josh or something- answered and they both laughed. Harry ate quietly, missing his lunches with Draco, where all he did was talk about silly things and laugh.

"Huh."

"What?" Josh asked, honey eyes inquisitive, his unibrow disappearing beneath chocolate colored bangs.

"He reminds me of you Harry." Adam said and Harry lifted his head, eyes searching through their refectory for the James guy.

Weirdly enough, Adam was right.

The guy was a bit shorter than Harry, his hair was just as black –albeit a lot more tammed, his eyes were bright blue, his skin a bit more tanned than Harry's. He didn't have much muscles and his cheekbones were just like Harry's.

"Geez. It must be weird to look so much like you." Josh mentioned a bit disgust by the idea, twirling his fork distractedly as he watched James leave the refectory. Adam chocked and coughed.

"And why is that?" Harry asked, feeling his temper rise. Josh flushed in embarassement, suddenly realizing what he said, blabbering he tried to fix it,

"You're the Hero of the Wizarding World, I don't know, it must be, er, odd. People might, I don't know, mistake him for you or something."

"Not t-that it's a bad thing." Adam said, his brown eyes wide in fear, a hand nervously messing his dark blonde locks. Harry nodded, excusing himself and stood up.

_Of course _it's a _bad _thing. Being mistaken for Harry Potter isn't always good, especially if the person who made such error is an attacker or related to someone's whose arrest was Harry's fault.

The brunette stopped wandering through the Ministry halls, massaging his temples and sighing. Sometimes it _still _sucked to be Harry fucking Potter.

_Find something to do, distraction, distraction..._

Malfoy!

He had ran out of one of his potions, maybe a brief chat with Draco would make his day a bit better.

---

"C'mon, you can't be serious! To spend, an entire day with you, and not be able to touch you. Torture!" Pink lips pressed against a pale neck, silver eyes fluttering slightly in response.

"Oh but I am. This isn't a private place and I've already explained why we can't. **Not here.**" But the brunette failed to listen to him, one hand unbuttoning his shirt, the other cupping him through his trousers.

"Hmm, Draco, I haven't touched you all week. You're always here, or always tired." James replied, whispering on the blonde's ear. The other shivered and bit back a moan, turning around.

"Fine, but not all the way." Blue eyes twinkled in delight only to flutter close seconds after, capturing Draco's lips in a deep kiss, his shirt being pratically thorn opened. Draco smiled against the kiss, almost chuckling at his new lover's impatience.

And then there was a noise, nope, not that kind.

The kiss was broken and scared silver orbs met shocked and wide green ones. Harry gulped and took a deep breath, his whole body tensing, breaking eye contact with Draco and looking down he apologized.

"Er, sorry. I just...I'll c-come back later." The deep baritone voice said and shut the door quickly, fleeing from the scene. Draco growled in anger and detached himself from the other man.

"Look, Draco, I'm sorry-"

"Whatever. I...I've got to fix this." He said quietly, buttoning his shirt and trying to calmly walk to Harry's office.

---

"Yes Hermione I'll invite him to Fleur's baby shower."

Harry went to his office, confused and unexplicably hurt, breathing heavily, but before he could think of releasing his stress on some inocent furniture Hermione's head had appeared on his fireplace, ranting about Fleur and babies.

What could he do? They were all friends. He couldn't ignore her just because he was angry...at what exactly he is yet to find out. So he sat down, and listened.

"Don't sound so reluctant, haven't you two became friends? You should be happy she invited him!" She said, motherly scowling him from sounding, honestly, bored.

"I am 'Mione." He replied, tiredly. She eyed him with suspicion and paused for a second. He expected her to ask what was wrong but she didn't.

"Well, I don't think she invited Draco out of the pureness of her heart either. I've heard that Bill has been complaining about her sudden outbursts and their healer says it's because of her veela side. She is probably inviting him so he will give her the half-veela potion." She said with a grimace. He chuckled.

"What are these potions anyway?"

"Well, half-veelas have what we call outbursts. See, there wasn't supposed to be a mix between wizards and veelas so their magics don't merge together, they just fight each other. Half-veelas that are pregnant or going through puberty have it worst. Their mood swings can be disastrous and when their Veela magic is stronger than the wizard they usually create havoc and can even hurt others. This potion prevents that from happening."

"Sounds difficult." She laughed and nodded.

"It is. That's why Draco has been working so much on it."

Harry didn't meant to, he really didn't, but he snickered at that.

"Harry, is there something you want to tell me?" She asked, both eyesbrows raised and a look that said 'I know you're hiding something'.

"Nope, not really."

"You're terrible at lying." She said and they both laughed. "It's ok, I am sure you'll tell me when you feel ready too." He smiled, his way of saying thanks and nodded. "Oh, don't worry about your gift for the baby ok? I've already bought yours and Ron's."

"Thanks, I wouldn't have known what to buy." He rubbed the back of his neck and she laughed. Truthfully, he also did not want to go anywhere public in the wizarding world. Ever since he had the three-day mission, the boy's parents were searching for him, trying to get revenge for putting their boy in Azkaban.

"Yeah well, you have got to learn someday. Otherwise you'll be lost when you have your own children with Ginny." She mentioned, but talked slowly, her eyes a bit narrowed, as if she was testing him.

He paled and sttutered at the ideas of babies and marriage with Ginny. "Y-yeah. Right."

She sighed and shook her head, her look serious all of the sudden. He probably failed whatever test she did.

"So...don't forget to tell Draco and be we will meet on Diagon Alley, Sunday at twelve. _Ok_?" She said and pointedly looked at a piece of paper and a pen that were on his table. He wrote it down and nodded. "See you Harry." And she was gone.

He took a deep breath and slumped on his chair, resting his head and closing his eyes. Unfortunately his peace didn't last very long.

There were three knocks and a soft voice asking...

"Can I come in?"

Harry knew who it was, but right now he really wished he didn't have to face him.

Merlin knows why but when Harry saw Draco being snogged senseless by the James guy he froze on the spot, bile rising on his throat. It felt awful to see him like that. But it shouldn't! Because that meant Draco was focusing on his own personal life, not only on work, that meant his friend was happy and yet...

And yet Harry wasn't.

"Door's open." Quiet footsteps followed the sound of a closing door. Harry had turned his chair around, but his enchanted window reflected the other man well enough for Harry to guess how nervous and ashamed Draco was.

"Look, I am sorry. It wasn't proper to do something like that in a work place, especially when I was supposed to be making this important potion for St. Mungus." He said quickly, all in one breath. Harry turned around and motioned for Draco to sit down.

"I have nothing against it Malfoy." He answered as Draco adjusted his robes and avoided his gaze.

"Yeah I know, I'll ask for another lab..." Draco blinked, registering what Harry said and a small smile formed on the Auror's lips. "What?"

"I have nothing against it. I was just, hm, caught of guard. Ever since we've became friends all I have been hearing from you and about you is work. You live for your work. It's good to see you..." A pause. "actually enjoying yourself."

Harry looked down at the stack of papers in his desk, failing to erase Draco's flushed face and bright silver eyes from his mind. He had never looked so beautiful. And, duh, no wonder he couldn't lunch with Harry anymore, who would trade _that _for a meal with a scruffy tense Auror?

Wincing at his own thought, Harry was pulled back to reality by Draco's voice.

"Then why did you ran off?"

"Well, it's not exactly comfortable to stay in a place after you've interrupted such a scene." He said, feeling his cheeks heat up and his stomach twist in knots again as he remembered. Draco stared at him, apparently trying hard not to flee from the office just like Harry had done. He was biting his lip and a soft pink hue appeared on his cheeks.

"Yeah, well, I told you no one was supposed to go there." 'Ouch.' Harry thought, and he must have made some sort of face at the comment because Draco immediately sighed and winced. "Er, old habits die hard huh?" He chuckled nervously, trying to lighten the mood and failing, "That's not what I meant, I-"

"No, no, you're right. I just needed to say that I've run out of a couple of potions, I should've gone to another Potions Master. My mistake." Harry said, conjuring a blank parchment with his wand and writing down the potions he needed, anything to keep him from looking at Draco.

"You're lying." He stopped and blinked, looking –now up, since Draco stood - at the other man.

"What?"

"There is something else, isn't there?" His voice was soft, like velvet and Harry fought his eyes from closing. "Something's bothering you, you went to talk to me and I..."

"Was living your own life. I'm fine. It was nothing." Messy dark bangs became even messier as Harry fervently shook his head.

"You're a horrible liar." The blonde chuckled, something like affection in his voice.

"_You're terrible at lying."_

Shit! Hermione, the baby shower!

"Oh! Good thing you said that, Hermione asked me to tell you that Fleur has invited you to her baby shower on Sunday. We are supposed to meet at Diagon Alley and apparate from there." Draco quirked an eyebrow.

"Aren't baby showers supposed to be surprise or something? Besides, she probably just wants a sample of the half-veela potion."

"I wouldn't know about the baby shower and I guess you're right about her reasons." Harry answered with an apologetic look and smiled when Draco laughed.

"No you wouldn't, you oaf. You've got to learn these things Potter. And I'm always right."

"Are you Hermione under Polyjuice?" He asked as a joke and Draco laughed out loud, shaking his head.

"God no! I would be married to the Weasel. What a curse." He said between laughs while leaving Harry's office.

"_Draco."_ A warning tone.

"Sorry, sorry, Weasley. See you, _Harry." _Draco said, his back turned to Harry as he walked away, mimicking the brunette's own voice. He paused and turned for a second, hand on the door handle. "You're gonna have to tell me what was bothering you ok?" He asked softly and left before Harry could answer.

Weirdly enough, the bespectacled man felt lighter.

---

"I am not enterily sure when you will be getting back. The camp has been set for us a couple of miles from where we believe is a Death Eater meeting point." The minister said, most Aurors started complaining and sighing.

"Enough." Harry said, annoyed himself, but unwilling to show. "None of us are here by force, we all chose this profession knowing the sacrifices we would have to make. If there is anyone here who would like to quit their jobs please feel free to do so now. Otherwise I don't see why you're complaining."

No one even flinched.

"We have a crew of Aurors who have been following these Death Eaters and observing their patterns of action. We will go to the camp right after this meeting is finished and wait until is dark to act, we cannot attract the attentions of the Muggles that live nearby. We have trained for this mission for more than a month now, we cannot make mistakes." Harry finished and nodded to an Auror that had his arm raised.

"Where is the location?"

"Smallfield, Surrey." Harry said, ignoring the bad feeling that came with the word 'Surrey'. That place never gave him anything good. "Any other questions?" No one made any moves. "Good. Get your spare robes, wands and potions and come back here in twenty minutes tops."

They had not expected this mission to start now. Not on a Thursday afternoon, completely out of the blue. But the Minister Schacklebolt said that his source warned him about today. Apparently the Death Eater would meet up, and it would be a great idea if they attacked them when they are not expecting and all together on the same place.

Harry thought this was extremely suspicious and tried talking his boss out of it, tried to say that he was more than capable of creating some other startegy but Schacklebolt had none of it. Said that their source was more than trustworthy and there was nothing to worry about.

Then why did this bad feeling didn't go away?

Harry pondered on it for the twnety minutes he had, trying to find a way out. But there was none. When all the Aurors got to their meeting room ready to go, there was nothing he could do _but go._

With a sigh and a frown he picked his Portkey along with the others and closed his eyes.

---

Their enchanted to be invisible camp was set up inside this small woods right by the Rockery Hill, on a nearby twon to Smallfield, a twon called Out wood. They had started their walk to Smallfield –more precisely, a small house on Carey's Wood street- ten minutes ago, there was still, at least, forty minutes of walk.

That was a lot of time to think. And if there was something Harry _really did not_ want to do right now was think. That would distract him, an he needed to be focused and attent. He is the Head of the Aurors Department for God's sakes!

Right after Draco left his office, Harry had time to think on what had bothered him in the first place. His good mood was ruined when he remembered.

"_Geez. It must be weird to look so much like you."_

He sighed and closed his eyes for a second. He remembered that Adam trying to fix things up, kiss his arse. He wondered if there was an Auror that worked for that did not fear him. Did not think of him as some Hero. Just another Auror.

Just another human.

Probably not. He probably did not have any Auror friends either. They just tolerated him because he saved their world as they know it. A headache had formed and he rubbed his temples while walking, wand in hand.

Suddenly, a crack.

Green eyes opened wide and he saw a dark figure emerge from a few bushes near Courtoak Ln., other cracks and more Death Eaters appeared. Forgetting about the strategy and cursing Shacklebolt he yelled,

"GET YOUR WANDS READY NOW! THIS IS A TRAP!"

On the moment he said that there were spells flying from everywhere and to everywhere. They were trapped, in the middle of a God forsaken road, on an open field with no places to use as a shield. He tried to apparate, only to find out that the field was surrounded by anti-apparition wards, activated by magical signatures, therefore the Death Eaters were free to come and go but until he broke the wards he was stuck.

_Great. Just fucking awesome._

"Potter look out!"

Maybe if he head been more attent on the way to this place he would have noticed that they were being followed from the moment they left camp. Maybe if he didn't have a headache he would have been quicker to use a protection spell.

Maybe if anyone in the Aurors Department didn't think he was invencible and didn't need help from any of them, he would have someone to protect him. If they also didn't fear becoming a bigger target just by being near him, they would have helped.

Unfortunately, that was not the case.

When were people ever going to remember that Harry is just human?

"CRUCIO!"

And Harry was up in the air, howling, his hand refusing to let his wand fall, his grip almost breaking the wood as pain coursed throgh his body, burned his veins and made his head feel as if it would explode.

Not only the curse made him feel as if his body was being thorn, the Death Eater was toying with his body, throwing it on the ground, only to lift it up in the air and let if fall again. He felt the bones break, the sensation being increased by the hex.

It took full five minutes before another Auror as able to pass through the mass of Death Eaters that were protecting the one cursing Harry, the spell was broken and the brunette fell limply on the ground.

He opened his eyes and tried to stand up, but before he could make another move he heard.

"Stupefy!"

And the world went black.

---

It was a lovely morning, almost lunch time and Draco was laughing and celebrating with James for their accomplishment on making the half-veela potion when a Patronus on the form of a lynx burst through his door and his mouth opened, Shackbolt's voice resonating in the small lab.

"All Potions Master and private Ministry Healers must immediately leave their posts and go to St. Mungus. Aurors are down."

Draco's breath got caught in his throat for a few seconds, his eyes wide as the phrase 'Aurors are down' registered in his brain. All too quickly his breathing returned, heavy, he was panting.

_Harry._

"Draco, c'mon!" He heard James and started moving at once, grabbing all healing potions he had on stock and shrinking ingredients in case he needed to make more.

He did not wait for his slow lover to finish packing his things, as soon as his worn and old bag was full and heavy he left, blue eyes showing confusion at his rush to leave when he was the one standing there and looking lost just a minute ago.

---

When he arrived at the hospital there was chaos. Reporters were everywhere, there were flashes blinding him, he could hear snippets of conversations, apparently the Aurors fell into a trap and were in deep trouble, news got out and the Daily Prophet was already trying to get interviews from anyone who passed by.

Shacklebolt looked troubled and worried, sweat forming on his forehead, as soon as his eyes laid on Draco he dragged the other man away from the entrance, grabbing his arm and leading him to a small door without a single explanation. He raised his wand muttered some words before the door opened.

Draco had never been there before. It looked like a abandoned closet filled with broken objects, but as he observed better he could see small sayings underneath; names.

He gulped heavily and felt his chest contract when he saw the Minister grab two broken toy soldiers. Underneath those objects was a name he knew.

'_Harry Potter'_

Portkeys, he thought, as the dizzyness left him and he found himself in another corridor, Shacklebolt right in front of him, along with a lot of Healers and others Potions Masters. There were other doors, he could hear pained moans, hushed voices arguing and potions being stirred.

Amongst the Healers was Hermione Granger, and she looked more disheveled than Draco would have ever wanted to see her.

"I do not want you to focus on the others, " He heard the deep voice of Kingsley saying, and noticed, for the first time, the angry and suspicious looks directed at him. "You are the best Potions Master we've got, there is a problem with Auror Potter, and I trust you to find a way to fix it along with Healer Granger." He finished saying and Hermione was by his side.

Wasn't she by Harry's door just a second ago?

"Draco, Draco. Focus! Harry is in danger, the Aurors don't know what the Death Eaters did to him after he was stupefied. Please. He needs your help." She said and opened the door to Harry's room.

It was filled with so much uncontrolled magic and barriers so said magic would not destroy the room – and the entire hospital- that it made breathing become a very difficult task.

And he stopped breathing altogether when he saw the brunette, cut and bruised, with poor vitals, laying on the bed.


	6. Wake Up

**A/N:**

Ok, I am a tiny bit worried about this chapter, not because it's not good, but because I received so many great reviews on the last one, I fear failing you on this one. Hopefully it is just as good or better. I am trying to update with more frequency, I have started working and got into college recently, so time is limited, buuutt I am trying my best here.

Thanks everyone for the amazing reviews! It makes me unbelievably happy that you're liking my story. Please continue to read and I humbly ask you to review if you have a minute to spend on me.

Thank you. Really.

**---**

**Wake Up**

His vision was blurry, but for now he was okay with that. If he had trouble seeing, that meant he would not see Harry, sleeping, sleeping, sleeping. As if he would never wake up. Just the idea of that made all the air leave his body and the world turn black for some seconds. He shook his head, driving the thoughts and the tears away.

His vision cleared. And the sight in front of him made tears well up in his eyes again.

Harry was _still_ asleep. Like he had been for the past twelve hours. Draco had done everything he could have. All that was in his power, all he knew, and yet... It wasn't enough. He was so tired of not being enough..._of failing._

The cabinet full of broken muggle objects, portkeys. It had reminded him so much of the Room of Requirement. He had tried _so bloody hard _to fix that damn cabinet. To...to _be worth something_, to do something right in his life...just once.

And like that year, like those times, he failed again tonight.

Harry is brave despite it all. He always faced – and still faces – his ghosts, his fears. One would think that after fighting evil throughout his teenage years he would have wanted a different job, ad yet he became an Auror.

Draco was always a coward. He always hid in his daddy's big pocket, his daddy's power. And when these factors were gone, he hid behind his own fear, tears soked while he sobbed his and his family's disgrace. Hiding, fearing, sobbing... exactly what he is doing now.

Just because he is beside Harry's hospital bed doesn't mean he is strong or brave. It just means he is scared to death of losing the most important person in his life. He is atempting to protect his own heart, whatever else he saves or protects is consequence.

Harry was there for the greater good, Draco was there for his own well being.

The brunette was facing death, being brave even while unconscious. The blonde was half there, half spacing out. Kept shooking his head, clearing his mind from thoughts of the war, of his family...of everything he wished dearly that he could forget.

But with all this time in his hands, just looking at Harry's barely alive form gave way too much time for Draco to think. And that simply couldn't happen.

"_Wake up..._" He whispered brokenly.

---

"Wake up, wake up, please, _please_ wake up..."

There was soft voice whispering on his ear, something wet running down his shoulder.

"You can't die! You must wake up Harry please...please don't do this."

Sobs, heartbroken ones. He recognized that voice, but his brain was working ten thousand times slower than usually, his eyelids too heavy to be opened. With a lot of effort and a grunt of pain he opened his eyes, blinking many times because of the bright light in the room.

"Harry?" Blonde hair fell over his face, wide eyes staring into his own, he attempeted to smile, his throat closed and dry. "You're awake! Oh Merlin you're awake!" There so much relief in his voice, his arms felt warm and strong when he hugged Harry.

Unfortunately, some ribs were still in the process of healing and Harry hissed in pain.

"Oh! So sorry! I should not have d-done that." His voice was hoarse from crying, his eyes puffy. He gently put a pillow under Harry's head and shoulder, making him almost sit up on the bed. "Can you talk?" He asked, his voice part professional, part worried.

"Wa..." It hurt to swallow so Harry paused and opened his mouth again. "Water." He said weakly, almost murmuring the word.

"Water, right." Draco seemed a bit lost and a lot nervous, his eyes scanned the room for water and he filled a glass, tipping it on Harry's mouth so the other man could drink.

He left the glass on Harry's nighstand and said. "I'll be right back."

Harry scanned the place he was in. A hospital private room obviously. He had heard of this place before; it's a top secret wing made only for Ministry workers. 'The important ones anyway' – he thought, as he remembered with a frown that this wasn't the place where Arthur Weasley stayed when he was attacked.

Hermione entered the room in a hurry and Harry searched for Draco but the other man did not come in with her. He frowned again.

"Oh Harry! We were so worried!" She sobbed, lightly hugging him, pressing a kiss on his forehead and ruffling his hair. He smiled, she laughed, a sound between a chuckle and a sob. "We thought you wouldn't make it."

"I am the Boy Who Lived. God knows how many times now." He said, smiling sheepish, trying to make her laugh instead of cry. She smiled.

"I'll check your vitals and go warn Molly. She is desperate to know how you are, well, most Weasleys are." 'Most Weasleys huh?' He thought as she moved her wand in complicated patterns, checking if everything was alright with him.

"Ginny isn't here, is she?" He asked, Hermione avoided his gaze for a few seconds but eventually sighed and answered,

"No. That does not mean she doesn't care, she just...couldn't think of you lying in this bed, fighting for you life." Harry remained silent, deciding not to think about this for now. He just woke up for God's sakes.

"So, what happened to me?"

"It was awful Harry! You were carried here by two Aurors –who were also badly injured, you had pratically all your ribs broken, internal bleeding, you were suffering from ceasures and your magic was completely out of control. You broke all windows and the walls shook at every ceasure you had." Harry gulped, taking a mental note to send a lot of money to St. Mungus after he recovered. "Not only that but apparently one of the Death Eaters threw a curse at you that made the healing potions take hours to work. If it wasn't for Draco...I don't know what would have happened."

"Draco...?" He asked, and he saw something in her eyes flicker when he said the man's first name.

"I'll call him, he will explain it better than I will at any rate. Besides, I need to tell the Minister that you woke up and is recovering perfectly." She added with a smile and left.

Seconds later, Draco entered the room, but he seemed like a totally different person. His expression was hard, his lips into a thin line, eyes narrowed. His arms were crossed and his posture was straighter than ever, his head held high. It was almost as if the teen Draco had come back for a visit. The only thing that ruined it was the redness of his eyes and the tired expression on his face.

"Hermione said you saved me. Want to tell me about it?"

"Not particularly." Harry cringed at Draco's cold voice.

"Please Draco." Harry stopped using Draco's last name. How could he, now that the man saved his life? And...it felt right, good, to say Draco's name.

"I used phoenix feathers and tears. The feathers are used in extreme cases, such as if the person's heart has stopped beating. It is known as the "for lost causes" potion ingredient. And the tears work faster on any type of injury. Since common potions weren't working in their proper time I had to make a phoenix cry a _whole lot _just so your internal injuries could be healed. And some ribs are _still _broken." He answered hotly, flushing in anger.

"Draco, what's wrong? What happened? A minute ago you wer-"

"**You could have died, **_**Potter**_." He said in a deep voice, anger dripping from every word.

"But I didn't. Thanks to you." Harry responded softly, sitting up slowly on the bed, noticing that – despite his façade- Draco took three quick steps fowards, thinking that Harry would be hurt. They stared at each other for a moment, real, raw emotions on the blonde's eyes.

Draco turned his face and shook his head several times, his eyes blinking continuosly.

"You could've died." His voice was hoarse again from the effort of fighting his sobs, his whole body shook, but he still wouldn't face Harry.

"You are a proud bugger you know that?" The brunette teased him with a smile, making an effort to look cheery and try to stop the storm that was forming on Draco's mind.

"NO! No! _You_ are a proud bugger! You always have to do stuff by yourself huh?! Couldn't let anyone help you now could you?! Had to almost die!" He yelled, facing Harry again, flushed with rage. He sat on the bed, glaring at Harry. The brunette took the breaths, but it didn't work.

"Do you think I wanted to be on my own?!" Harry asked, losing his own temper. "No one comes near me Draco. _No fucking one. _They know that being near me means danger. They also think that I can handle since I killed Voldemort. They forget that I too _can die._"

At this, Draco's mask fell. His silver eyes widened, mouth partially opened, a lost look on his face. He reached forwards, his hands fisting Harry's hospital robe.

"H-How could they?! You're...You could...You're just human." He whispered, their faces inches from each other. His eyes showed how outraged he felt at the way Harry was treated, and the brunette was more grateful for this knowledge of Draco's than he was for the fact that the blonde saved his life. "You could've died!" He screamed again, tears finally falling, his voice sounding like a squeak.

'_And Harry realized, with a schock so huge it seemed to root him to the spot, that Malfoy was crying – actually crying – tears streaming down his pale face into the grimy basin.'_

_[...]_

'_Harry didn't know what he was saying; he fell to his knees beside Malfoy, who was shaking uncontrollably in a pool of his own blood.'_

Something snapped inside of Harry, he couldn't sit there and watch the blonde crumble, desperate and crying.

He pulled Draco into his chest, wrapping his arms around the blonde's waist, holding him tightly while he cried. It hurt to use so many sore muscles and recently healed bones at once but he ignored it.

"_I am here_." He whispered hotly in Draco's ear, the only response he got was a tighter hold on his robes, hot tears wetting him. It was odd that he was comforting the other man and not the opposite, but things were never normal when it came to them.

Through the tears and confusion Harry felt as if a weight had been lifted off from his soul. As if he had just been forgiven for an enormous crime – like a spell he shot at the blonde so many years ago. He sighed and closed his eyes, feeling Draco's hair tickle his face, his scent invade Harry's senses.

---

Hermione bit back her own tears at the scene in front of her. She would not dare to make a noise, this moment had a magic and a life of it's own, and it would be an offense to break it.

She had entered to tell Harry that he would be moved to the normal hospital wing, so the Weasleys could see him.

So Ginny could see him.

She left her friend's hospital room, that scene still fresh on her mind. She had never seen Draco Malfoy look so desperate in her entire life. Not even in the midst of war, between curses and hexes.

She still remembered him when he entered Harry's room and saw the brunette's vitals, it looked as if he was trapped in a nightmare and waiting to wake up.

Hermione could also recall how he gulped three times, took several deep breaths and became a different Draco altogether. He focused on finding a solution for the curse that slowed the potion's effects, he brewed them with efficiency and monitored Harry until the man was safe again.

And then he let his professional side fall and cried, his face hidden in his arms, his shoulder shaking with his sobs. He _begged _for Harry to wake up.

Ginny had not bothered to leave the comfort of her couch.

With a furious shake of her head, Hermione left the hospital. Maybe Blaise wasn't wrong _at all. _She had a to have a very serious talk with a certain redhead. **Now.**

---

Harry had laid down again, after pulling Draco's limp body on the bed as well. The blonde had fallen asleep after crying, he probably had not slept for a day or so, and trying to find out a potion to heal Harry must have taken all of his energis. Harry thought about putting him back on the chair but as he looked at the serene expression on his face he didn't have the heart to move him.

He laid there, and though he had so much to think, right now, nothing seemed bad enough to make him lose his peace of mind.

Well...almost nothing.

He knows he should not be enjoying Draco's weight on top of his own, or how he seemed to smell like belgian chocolate ever since he returned from his trip –but this could be Harry's mind playing tricks at him, and he should definitely _stop _playing with Draco's blonde locks.

But damn, his hair is so soft...

He sighed and closed his eyes. He will do the thinking some other time. Right now he just wants to rest and relax. Something he hasn't really done in a while now.

"Fuck!" A girlish squeal and he almost let Draco fall off the bed, his eyes opening wide, his body jumping. "Er, sorry boss. Just came to check you." It was his public relations agent, Morgan. She smirked and waggled her eyebrows, he rolled his eyes.

"Yes Morgan?"

"Oh c'mon! Don't sound so grumpy just because I caught you cheating on you girlfriend." She laughed at his glare.

"I am doing no such thing."

"Oh really? So the handsome blonde happened to literally fall asleep on top of you and your hand is buried in his hair because...?" He ground his teeth.

"Is there a reason for your presence here right now?"

"The Minister wants you in a normal room, apparently the media is going crazy trying to find you and he is running out of excuses." She explained, looking at a list on her hand. "And I was worried." She said seriously, staring at him, he smiled a bit.

"Thanks, I'm fine."

"Oh, I can see that much." A smirk and Harry scowled, making her laugh again. "For what it's worth, I like him better than your redhead. Before you two became inseparable and all, I had lunch with him a couple of times. Good catch, sir."

Harry remained silent, glaring at her, she rolled her black eyes, tugging and twirling a black curly lock of her hair.

"Fine, fine. Sorry, and I promise I won't tell your girlfriend. Though she rarely visits you anyway. So, what do I tell Shacklebolt?"

"Tell him to give me ten minutes." She squeaked and covered her mouth, chuckling.

"That quick sir? Poor blondie, he probably thought you could last longer." She said, pointedly looking at Draco. "I am just kidding, sir. Trying to get this death mood out of here." Morgan said, smiling at him with concern in her eyes. He closed his eyes and shook his head, a tiny smile on his face as he heard her say a quiet 'see you' and close the door. By the time he opened his eyes again she was gone and amused silver stared at him.

"I like your assistant Potter."

"Harry." He corrected.

"I like your assistant...Harry." Draco's eyes softened when he said Harry's name and all of the sudden he was reminded of their awkward position.

"Draco, er..." He began speaking, but ended with a gesture, pointing their snuggled bodies.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Shame, you're a good pillow." He mentioned with a smirk while standing up and fixing his robes.

_And fixing his now messy hair huh? _

Harry shook his head and fought the blush that threatened to rise. "Morgan is fine, she just gets on my nerves sometimes."

"Why? Because she tells the truth?" His voice was serious – which startled Harry at first, but when he sat down and looked at Harry there was a playful smile on his lips.

_Hm. Odd._

Harry rolled his eyes. "Something like that." Draco laughed and rest his head on his hand, his elbow supported on the chair. "You...er...You don't have to stay if you don't want to."

"Kicking me out Potter? How very not Gryffindork of you!" He mocked and Harry smiled at his laugh.

"No, it's not that. You just...have your own life to live. Your, er, boyfriend, probably misses you." Bile rose on his throat as he remembered the scene, which was peculiar since he had never felt disgusted at gays before. He saw Seamus and Dean going much further than that.

_C'mon Potter, it's not disgust and you know it. _His conscience sounded a lot like Draco Malfoy right now.

"Boyfriend? What boyfriend?" Harry chuckled while Draco's brain worked. He observed how the blonde looked confused, then thoughtful and finally his eyes widened, a blush on his cheeks. "Oh. James."

"Yes, James."

"I had forgotten." He said and looked away.

"That you have a boyfriend?" Harry laughed and felt reliefed for some reason.

"Not that you prat, I forgot that you caught us." He said that in a cavalier manner, but the redness on his face killed his mask. "And he is not my boyfriend, just...a fling I suppose. Nothing serious."

"Yeah, right."

"Yeah, right indeed. I am not lying Harry. Though I must say, your concern for my love life is rather...unhealthy, don't you think?" He asked, standing up and getting closer to the bed, an eyebrow raised in question.

"I am not concerned, I am just-"

"Jealous?" A malicious smirk was on his lips as he sat down, getting near Harry, trapping him.

"What?! NO! Of course not! I'm not even-"

"Gay? Used to say that too. Who knows, maybe you've never met anyone good enough. Until I appeared of course." He said, a cocky look on his face, but his smirk did not reach his eyes, his body tense.

"Of course. Because this makes a lot of sense." Harry gave up arguing though, his body was flushed in embarassement already, and when Draco decides to tease him nothing gets it out of his mind, not even when he has a hidden agenda behind his teasing.

"Of course it does. After all, I did promise to, you know, _compensate _for the weeks I was gone..." His voice was getting lower, one pale -but shaking- hand now on Harry's chest, making slow up and down motions, as if Draco could not decide which way he wanted to go. Harry started wondering if he had gone mad, or bipolar. "And then I come back and you catch me snogging someone else? No wonder you're jealous. But don't worry, we've got plenty of time and you are barely clothed _Harry..._" He purred Harry's first name, making the other gulp at their proximity.

"Mal-Malfoy..." Draco stopped, his grey irises moving quickly around the room, his hands trembled slightly and he sighed.

"Hm, back to Malfoy are we?" He stood up straight with an unreadable look on his eyes. "I was joshing. I just...wanted to distract you from all of this." He explained, his face serious again, his hands gesturing to all the empty potion viles around the room.

The brunette knew that in truth the one that was truly bothered was Draco. He was fidgeting with his robes, his eyes showed a bit of his panic and his entire body was tense and alert.

He stared at cloudy grey eyes, a link forming in between them. Words aren't needed when your sould is bared for another to see.

Three knocks on the door broke their connection as both of them turned to see Shacklebolt standing by the door, his brows furrowed in concern and anxiety.

"Malfoy, could you give us a moment?" The Minister asked and Draco nodded, taking a moment to recollect himsefl before slowly walking out of the room, not looking back. The bespectacled man felt his heart clench in worry for the blonde.

He turned his attention to his boss and asked, "Yes sir?"

"Harry, I believe you know by now that the mission failed." He said, walking to an enchanted window and staring at it.

_No shit! Who told you?! _

"I assume that Healer Granger and Malfoy explained how badly injured you were." Harry nodded. "The other Aurors tried to explain to me what happened, but none were completely sure of how this hex works, you don't seem fit to go back to work yet, so I'm giving you a two weeks vacation." The man said, looking back at Harry, prepared for his retorts.

"What?! But sir I've got important cases to solve, I am Chief Auror, how can I possibly get two weeks off?!" Harry said, trying to stand up and failing.

"You can. It's not a request, it's an order. You have worked as an outstanding Auror for five years, not once have you taken a day off. Two weeks Potter. And that's it."

"But sir-"

"No 'buts'! Now, lay back down, I'll go get the Healers that will move you to a public part of the St. Mungus."

"_But sir-_"

"I said no 'buts' Potter!"

---

"Ginny Weasley!" Hermione's shriek could be heard from miles away, Ginevra flinched and made her way to the living room of her apartment, a furious Hermione glaring at her.

"What's wrong?" She faked innocence, a used spoon dirty with cake's dough still in her hands.

"What's wrong?! I'll tell you what's wrong. Your boyfriend for more than six years is laying on a hospital bed, was fighting for his life not many hours ago and you were here! Baking a cake!" She yelled, flushing with rage.

"I can't stand to see him like that Hermione, you know that!" Ginny yelled back, going back to the kitchen, stirring the cake dough. "Besides, this is for Harry, for when he comes back."

"You know what I think you can't stand Gina? I think you can't stand to see Harry so weak. Because then, where would your hero be?" Ginny took a deep breath and stopped everything. Pushing her hair back with a turn of her head she looked at Hermione.

"You have no idea what you're talking about. Would you have the strength to see Ron if he was almost dying?! If there was a chance his eyes would never open again?!" Hermione looked like she was slapped, but quickly recovered, eyes hard and unyielding.

"No, I wouldn't. I wouldn't have the strength."

"Just what I said." Hermione shook her head and walked forward, gripping the wooden dining table.

"But I would manage Ginny. Because he is my husband, and the love of my life." Her sight was blurry, tears of anger and desperation had formed. She did not want Harry to be with someone who did not love him. Someone that doesn't deserve him. Even if that someone was her own sister-in-law.

There was a pregnant pause in which both of them did nothing but stare at each other.

"I am not you." Ginny quietly retorted.

"No. You're not. But even if you went there and cried, even if you had gone there and left right afterwards, it would've been _something. _You're pushing him away."

"I'm not doing that, besides, he loves me." She paused, looking as cocky as the words coming out of her mouth sounded. "There aren't as many people willing to be with him as you think. Where would he go? This isn't the first time he ends up on the hospital Hermione." Hermione could see that she almost snickered. Blood boiled in her veins. "I just avoided ending up on the bed beside his, just like all the other times." Fuzzy hair turned worse as a nervous witch shook her head several times, refusing to believe her friend's coldness.

_Well, I guess she will make a very good match with Zabini then. He definitely knows her better._

Hermione bit her tongue so she wouldn't mention that Draco would stay with Harry no matter what, but Ginny could see the smile that said 'I know something you don't' on her lips.

"What?"

"Oh nothing. But don't be foolish Ginny. You're not irreplaceable. And I don't think you will stay with him for much longer. Not if it depends on Zabini." She said and turned around, walking towards the living room and taking a bit of Floo powder.

Heavy and angry steps followed her, the redhead's face as red as her hair.

"You're imagining things Hermione."

"Oh yeah? And you angrily came here just to tell me that? You should not be affected by my imagination now should you?"

Hermione vanished in the midst of green fire and Ginny stood there, scowling at the fireplace.


	7. Unshed Tears

**A/N:**

Ok, chapters is here! Sorry for taking so long, but hey, less than two months to update! I see progress. Anyway, hopefully you will enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Thank you again for the reviews! It is great to see that I am improving and that the story is as good as I hope it to be when I write. Please continue to read and review, your opinion is what helps me and keeps me going.

**---**

**Unshed Tears**

Harry had to endure a lot of prying reporters, some had the nerve to dress as Healers and enter his room in disguise. It was a couple of exhausting days, thankfully though, they let him leave on Sunday morning. Well, not exactly let him. He bribed and cursed until he was out. Just in time for him to go home, take a bath and get ready for Fleur's baby shower.

He had faced death before and it had not stopped him from being a great friend

He was happy to go home and to the baby shower. Really. He couldn't stand seeing anymore of those dull hospital walls. Fresh air and people was all he needed.

There was just one thing didn't make him get any excited about going home. Not anymore. Not now.

Ginny.

His girlfriend sent him owls but did not go see him. She stayed home, saying that she could not bear to see him on a hospital bed. She could have made an effort, couldn't she? Apparently not.

Something is off about them. Something he doesn't know. And Harry Potter hates not knowing things.

He apparated home from the entrance of the hospital, taking deep breaths before openig the door to their apartment. He heard rushed steps and before he knew it he had an armful of Ginny.

"I'm so glad you're back and ok!" She whispered on his ear and repeatedly kissed his neck. She was trying to make up for something, even when his trips took two months, she never received him like this.

"Yeah, me too." He answered quickly, putting her on the floor and going to their bedroom. She followed.

"Something wrong?"

He thought about telling that yes, there is something wrong. The fact that she did not bother to check if he was dead or alive.

"No. Nothing. Just in a hurry to shower and get dressed. We can't be late." She nodded with a smile, but he could see her fidget with the hems of her shirt, as if she planned on removing it.

He grabbed the outfit she had ready for him and walked into the bathroom, locking the door. He was not in the mood right now. Not for that and not for talk either. He had just got out of the hospital for Merlin's sake! He just wanted some peace, and unfortunately he had no idea how to get that with two weeks without work.

Since when had work been more pleasurable than coming home to Ginny? They were an item between their friends, the couple everyone believed in. Everyone but themselves. What happened?

He took off his clothes and got under the shower, letting the hot water hit him, wash away his confusion, his disappointment at Ginevra Weasley. He was much too tired to think right now.

Sadly, right after her, came him.

He banged his head against the cold tiles, closing his eyes and sighing. He was jealous of James. Jealous because after leaving the hospital on Friday, Draco didn't visit him anymore.

Jealous, because now he had someone else.

And it hurt, and it's stupid, but Harry feels replaced. He missed Draco. The lunches, the small-talks on the corridors, the dinners after long work hours.

"Harry, we're late! It's almost noon!" He heard Ginny yelling and banging on the bathroom door.

"I'll be right out, wait for me out of the wards."

He got out of the shower, ignoring his thoughts of Draco and getting dressed. Fleur insisted on muggle clothes, claimming that wizarding robes would look too serious. Ginny had picked him a dark green, tight, henley shirt and tight black denims. He put his black business jacket and rolled up the sleeves.

Just because he was tired, just got out of the hospital and his relationship was at rock bottom didn't mean that everyone had to know about it, he would not look exhausted, he would not look defeated, not in front of everyone that relies on him.

He walked quickly to the door, ignoring her wide eyes at how good he looked. She smiled at him and held his hand, he gave her a small smile as well, with a crack they were both gone.

---

They met with the others quickly, all the Weasleys, Hermione, Dean, Seamus, Neville, Luna, Blaise –he scowled, were already there,standing in a small circle in front of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.

"Tsc tsc. You're late Potter." Blaise was the first to speak. Ginny smiled and eagerly greeted him. Harry acted as if he had not noticed, the others laughing at Zabini's comment. Ginny eyed him up and down, her smile widening at how good he looked in beige.

"Yeah well, I thought the hospital would release me sooner." He cut off the laughter with his serious tone. Hermione coughed.

"It's ok, there's still one missing."

"Yeah, Draco probably thinks he is being 'fashionably late'." Zabini said and shook his head, mostly everyone laughed.

"I think the poor bloke is nervous." Fred [1] mentioned, licking George's ice cream cone. George glared menancingly and they both laughed.

"Yeah, I would be too if Hermione had threatened me." George said and the bushy-haired woman blushed.

"What did you do?" Seamus asked curiously, laughing a bit while Dean tickled him.

Harry stared at them for a while and then at him and Ginny. It was ridiculous how distant they were from each other. It was even more ridiculous how many meanings this phrase had.

"...because he was embarassed, but in the end he agreed." Everyone was laughing, except for Harry, and when he looked at Hermione to ask what she said, he saw her watchful eyes, observing him. She was about to answer when a familiar voice stood out in the midst of laughter.

"Do forgive me for the delay! Hopefully I am not the last one to arr...Damn, I am the last one to arrive." Draco said, approaching the group.

He looked devastatingly handsome in his outfit. He wore a dark blue skinny jeans and the tightest grey turtleneck sweater Harry had ever seen. His hair was still partially wet from a recent shower and it feel on his face. His lips looked even more pink and shiny than usual – the brunette wondered if Draco wore lipgloss before dismissing the thought as silly.

He didn't have to ponder too much on it though. Trailing off behind Draco, holding the blonde's left hand, was James. His lips looked equally pink and slightly swollen and now Harry knew betater. Fucking lovely.

"We should get going then." He said, not greeting the blonde and feeling incredibly stupid for his action. They nodded and one by one, apparated. Hermione was still looking at him and he fidgeted, uncomfortable.

And suddenly there were only two people to go.

"Well, hello to you too." Draco said and vanished.

Harry wished he could break something.

---

The shower was at the back of The Burrow, a big round enchanted table was decorated with fine white linen and new china. Misses Weasley insisted on a formal lunch before giving the presents.

Fleur greeted them with all of her grace and politeness, though, most men only gave her a curt nod and a tight smile. Harry chuckled and hugged her, congratulating her again for the new baby on the way, all the while Hermione continued to observe him as if he were a new book she planned on buying.

They sat down and immediatly the trays were filled with delicious home made food. Harry served himself, deciding to just listen the conversation, since he wasn't in a very good mood.

"So Draco, how are you doing at your job?" Fleur asked with her – now – perfect english. Harry raised an eyebrow in interest, remembering Hermione's and Draco's words.

"Oh great. Thanks for asking." The brunette chocked on his pumpkin juice, disguising his laugh at Draco's briefness with a cough, glancing at Draco who sat oppositely to him- and saw the other fight a smile, both of them remembering what the blonde had said on Harry's office, the tense mood from the apparition slightly forgotten.

"'Ermione told me about a new potion you just developed." They shared another glance and Harry had to bite on something to prevent from laughing out loud.

"_We _developed it, actually." A deep voice Harry had never heard answered. The laugh left him when he heard James.

"Thanks James, way to go on discretion." Ha.

"It's true. Futhermore, it's ridiculous what the Ministry does to you, you needed help to find the solution and brew the potion, it should not be illegal for me to help you." Blue eyes narrowed in outrage and Draco beamed.

For no apparent reason the food on Harry's plate lost it's appeal.

"I had heard that, but didn't believe it was true." Arthur Weasley said, interested on the subject.

"It is. I cannot have any help otherwise it would break my contract and I would serve a year in Azkaban." He said bitterly, sneering.

"Is there a way to, hm, dodge this particular part of the contract?" Harry asked, staring at Draco in the eyes, trying break the mood he created on Florean's. The blonde glared for a couple of seconds, but soon he sighed and shook his head, a quizzical expression on his face. James glared at Harry and the brunette glared right back at him.

"Unfortunately, there is not. So, if you could just-"

"Oh, don't worry dear, your secret is safe with us." Molly answered and he gave he a smile and a nodd, his Malfoy posture never leaving him. He looked defensive, and probably felt intimidated near so many Weasleys, people who he once bullied.

"The Ministry can be great, or it can be awful." Bill said, shaking his head an wrapping an arm around his wife's waist.

Harry thought about doing that to Ginny, but her body language screamed for him to stay away. Her whole body was leaning away from him, her arms crossed and legs folded. He gave up.

"The whole Wizarding World can be either too good or too bad." James said and Draco's eyes rapidly turned to him, showering the man with attention. Harry rubbed his temples discreetly.

"Why do you say that?" Fleur asked, her song-like voice making most heads turn to her.

"Well, I am sure you've noticed that I look like someone you know." He mentioned and pointedly looked at Harry. The brunette opened his eyes –since when were they closed?- and put his hand down, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Mostly everyone laughed, with the exceptions of James, Draco and Hermione. "You did be surprised at how people treat me when they truly believe I am Harry Potter."

Harry instantly tensed and forgot how to breathe.

"_Geez. It must be weird to look so much like you"_

"_You're the Hero of the Wizarding World, I don't know, it must be, er, odd. People might, I don't know, mistake him for you or something." _

"Sometimes, they treat me like a king. Believe that I am him under glamours or things like that. But there are still some weirdos who follow the dead Lord. I often went to St. Mungus because somebody didn't bother to check my identity properly. It's complicated, sometimes, even my dates get hurt...or extremely lucky." His joke cut the dark mood that rose with the talk and he smiled, feeling accepted by the family, nudging Draco's side. "Sometimes I get free dinners, or I get to stay in the biggest suite on the motel, things like that." He said and laughed.

If James' comments had not touched his sore spot maybe he would've laughed too, or at least noticed how worried Draco was staring at him, promptly ignoring his date.

But he didn't see the look he was receiving, for some instants he wasn't truly there. And if Harry had lost his hunger before, he now felt truly nauseous.

"_..., sometimes, even my dates get hurt..." _

He looked at Ginny, she was smiling and nodding fervently. Of course. Harry could remember several times when they went out for dinner and he was attacked, along with her. They both finished their night unconscious on a hospital bed.

The experience repeated itself so many times that they ceased to stay somewhere other than their house for long periods of time.

"Anyway, it's bloody annoying. Lately, whenever Draco and I go out I have to wear glamours. I swear they think he kidnapped Potter or something."

Harry realized something and breathed heavily, a grimace on his face as he stared fixedly at the table, no longer hearing what James said.

_Of course she wasn't _that _dedicated to him anymore._

Who would put up with these kinds of things _and _his Auror missions _and, _well, everything else that came with the curse of being Harry Potter's girlfriend? _No one. _

_And of course that Draco would never _ever _date him –if he ever left his denial stage. _

Imagine how attacked they would be? An ex Death Eater with the Hero of the Wizarding World. He swallowed, the food he ate threatening to make it's way back.

"Harry dear, are you alright?" Molly's motherly tone woke him up from his reverie and he looked up, only to find everyone's gaze directed at him.

"Hm, yeah. Just a bit nauseated. Ate too much." He smiled apologetically and she chuckled. He could feel brown and silver gazes on him and ignored both. "Can I be excused for a second?"

"But of course, take all the time you need." Arthur Weasley said. "I sure know that sometimes I can't get enough of Molly's food, but afterwards..." He patted his own belly and they laughed.

Harry kissed Ginny chastely, muttering something along the lines of "be right back love" and stood up, catching her surprised expression before turning and walking away.

He went to the front of their house and let his emotions run free. He felt dizzy, almost hiperventilating. He could feel the wind dance around him, his magic creating a protective ward, like it did every time he felt ill.

Josh, the fucker, had truly gotten him huh? One comment in the cafeteria and he was haunted forever. Harry should have listened to Hermione and done some therapy after the war, maybe if he had he wouldn't be in a situation like this.

But no therapy could make him become blind. What they said was true. The war ended, but what he suffered before it continued. He still got attacked sometimes in public; and even though now everybody believe him, he still created havoc and that made others drive themselves away from him.

He could not blame these people. It wouldn't be wise to walk on the street if anyone could curse you at any given minute. Imagine if he ever went with Fleur and Bill to the park?

That's what he had been missing all the while. A nice, normal life. A happy life where he could spend as much time as he pleased with anyone he loved, anywhere.

That's what he saw in other couples. The chance to be together, without barriers nor fear. He fights evil in his work and lives with it everywhere else. And, even when the reactions are good, they are too good. Fake.

Just how many people had become his friend just because he was Harry Potter? Just how many times had he been bombarded with spells or hugs? How many times did he have to run off back to their apartment?

When would he ever live quietly? He is just another human being! Not a superhero!

The back of his eyes stung and he closed them, taking a deep breath and using his Auror training to push back his emotions. He could feel the air around him get thicker, leaves flying around him.

"Harry?" A whisper, but Harry was so tense, so worried about being caught almost crying that he turned quickly, wand in hand. Draco flinched and almost took a step back.

He looked at Harry in the eye and gently grabbed his wrist, lowering the wand along with his arm. Harry turned his head, refusing to meet the other man's gaze.

"Harry, look at me. Talk to me...please."

---

Hermione followed Draco, willing to talk to Harry as well, but as she arrived there and saw their stare, the way Draco managed to deal with Harry and know what to do and how she felt as if intruding a very private moment.

As if they were long-life lovers and not recent friends. The thought alone could have rooted her to the spot, but that wasn't what had paralized her.

_Harry's magic had stopped her from moving._

Her legs didn't work, her body didn't follow her mind's command and she was forced to stay and watch, having a huge difficulty just to breathe.

"Harry look at me. Talk to me...please." Draco pleaded when Harry turned his head to the side, his teeth grinding. She wondered how was Draco able to stay that close to Harry and move normally.

"There's nothing to talk, I am just feeling sick." He looked down, but didn't pull his arm away, Draco took the opportunity and grabbed Harry's hand, drawing small circles with his thumb.

A small action, usually mothers use it on their sons, to calm them down. A kind of affectionate caress Harry had never known.

"I can tell you're feeling sick, but it's not at the food." Draco said in a firm but gentle voice.

"Look...it's nothing ok? Just something I remembered. Go back to James and...just go." He said, there was contempt and jealousy in his voice when he said James' name.

"Stop it! I have left him at the table, surely he can handle a couple of minutes without me. Or a couple of hours because we are not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on."

"I don't have to explain anything to you!" They were raising their voices, quickly, and Harry flushed with anger. She felt another flow of his magic and grunted in slight pain. He should not have been released, everything was still out of control inside of him.

"Yes you do! You almost died Thursday and woke up as if nothing had happened! As if-" He choked, apparently he had almost cried. She looked at Harry, his eyes had softened their gaze and he had gripped Draco's hand with his own, his free hand resting on the blonde's shoulder. The air felt lighter and she could breathe better again. "As if you didn't care. I mean, I know you looked upset that day..."

He trailed off, blinking several times.

"'Just something you remembered' huh? What happened on Thursday? What did James trigger today? Tell me." Hermione could barely make out what Draco was saying, the silver-eyed man was getting closer and closer to Harry, his mouth on the brunette's cheek.

Harry pulled away, crossing his arms and leaning on one foot.

"Erm...one Auror mentione something about how 'odd' it would be for James to look so much like me. Said it must be weird to have people think he is Harry Potter. When James began explainning what happened to him I just remembered thing that _still happen _to me on a _daily basis._"

There was a pregnant pause between them, Draco's expression turned into a frown as he seemed to put some facts together before he looked at Harry again, understanding in his eyes.

"That's why Ginevra doesn't visits you anywhere isn't it?" Harry's eyes widened and he closed his eyes and bit his lip, shaking his head repeatedly.

"Yeah, yeah it is. I just never realized it. Whenever she went to have lunch with me at work she just...got attacked. Whether it was by hexes or hugs and people begging for an autograph...she...got scared." He finished quietly and shook his head.

"The things you suffered in school...they never really stopped did they?"

"No. I don't think they ever will." There was so much sorrow in Harry's voice that Hermione felt her heart clench. He must be so tired of everything and yet here he is, trying to please his best mate's family. He was calmer and she could almost move by now.

"It's just a stupid thing I've got to deal with ok? Sometimes it just...overwhelms me I guess. It's nothing." Harry said, his voice sounded empty but firm. He didn't want to talk about it anymore. Usually, Hermione stopped when he sounded like that. So did Ginny.

"It's not nothing! It's obviously a lot of something if it made you leave the baby shower and come here to hiperventilate on your own!" Draco almost yelled and stood inches away from Harry. The stream of air passing between the trees made noises, piles of leaves lifting from the ground, Harry was getting angrier than before.

"**It's nothing**. Just a silly childhood trauma, with some personal complications. Nothing that some protection from the Ministry and therapy won't solve." He was hiding his anger, but his magic was flowing, like it did when he was a child, when he had no control.

"You know that's a lie Potter! If it could be easily solved, it would have been! But the Ministry and their employees think you're invecible isn't it? Left you alone to fight God knows how many Death Eaters, don't give you any protection because they know how much danger _they _would be in! When was the last time you left your house without glamours Harry?" He said, following Harry as the other walked away, the breeze getting stronger.

She had never noticed these things. Never really seen it. Ever since she got married and felt the Weasley pressure for a baby she had forgotten to pay attention to her friends. And look what she had missed.

"It does not matter! Leave it alone Malfoy!" Harry almost spat on Draco's face.

"I will not Potter! You act like the big bad hero, but now run away from your problems like a small scared baby! You obviously need to talk about it, so talk! I am not leaving and I'm not letting you leave!" He screamed and grabbed Harry's arms, yanking him back when he tried to walk back to the baby shower.

If Hermione could she would not know if she should chuckle or cry at the scene. Ever since the beginning, ever since the first moment, this was the way it was with them. Things always got solved through yelling and fights.

She should feel angry. But it was the first time in a long time that Harry opened up and talked about his problems. She could not be angry, no matter how Malfoy had to act to get Harry to talk.

"LEAVE ME ALONE MALFOY!"

The breeze turned into a strong wind, the leaves flying madly around both of them and though Hermione tried to keep her balance, but failed, wincing in pain as her body met the ground. She turned her head slowly, worried about them, but through the grass around her she could see them just like they were before, as if there wasn't a small windstorm forming around them.

"NO! You think you are the only one that suffered, the only one that _suffers_, well newsflash for you Chosen One, you are not alone!" Draco's nose flared and his cheeks were flushed with fury.

"What the hell are you talk-" Harry tried, struggling to get out of Draco's iron grip.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Draco yelled and Harry's eyes widened.

"I am trying to help you and you turn your back to me! You think you're the only one who suffers? I thought that you had listened closely to James. We can't go out without glamours either. **Never. **And I have never left home by myself without it as well. **NEVER!**" He yelled the last word.

Slowly the wind turned into a calm breeze again, the leaves falling onto the ground, the air lost it's thickness and Hermione panted on the ground, her body limp. She could move again but it seemed as if she had no energy to do so. She closed her eyes, feeling like she could sleep there.

"You are just as egocentric and attention seeking as I said you were when we were teenagers!" She heard Draco yell. "No Potter!" He yelled before continuing, probably cutting off Harry's retort. "You think everything is about you, you're always the fucking victim, the poor orphan boy, but you could not be more mistaken!"

Hermione forced her eyes open again as her breathing grew steadier and she slowly recovered.

"Do you think that just because I had a family I was more fortunate then you? Father only wanted a lackey for Voldemort and mother was too scared to face him. Your friend Ron Weasley lost his brother to the war, saw death just like you did. Hermione Granger has muggle parents, imagine how thorn she feels _every bloody day._" Draco's hair was a mess, his eyes were narrowed and he was almost spitting his words, pent up frustration and indignation being set free.

Harry was silent, staring at Draco as he processed the information he had received. The blonde closed his eyes, taking deep breaths to calm himself.

"You are not alone in this Potter. But you have to stop trying to act so strong and let people _help you._ No one is perfect_. _Weasley only overcame his pain thanks to Hermione and his family." He put his right hand on Harry's shoulder, caressing it slightly. "But if he had not let people _be there for him_, if he had insisted on being the big bad hero he would not be ok. "

Hermione slowly stood up, whispering some cleaning charms on herself, trying to get rid of the mud and grass on her clothes. Harry nodded before saying, "I...I am sorry."

Draco smiled gently, his hand moving from Harry's shoulder to his neck. "Nothing to apologi...Harry? Harry!"

The brunette had turned limp, his knees hitting the ground and if he had not been for Draco, Harry would've fainted. Not caring about the fact that she eavesdropped, Hermione ran to them. Harry's head fell backwards on Draco's arm, his eyes opened but far away.

"I-I didn't do anything, I swear-" Draco panicked, but kept his tight hold on Harry's almost unconscious form.

"I know, I was here, I saw everything." He gaped at her but she paid him no mind. Whispering some spells she checked Harry's health and magic. He was fine, but drained. "He needs to lay down, we need to put something under his head..." She looked around, not noticing Draco remove his shirt and transfigure it into a small pillow. He carefully put it beneath Harry's head.

Hermione stared in shock for a while, observing how Malfoy's skin got red because of the cold, how he shivered from time to time, but in spite of that his eyes were focused on Harry. She took a mental note to thank him later.

"Harry, Harry, wake up, don't do this again..." Draco whispered on her friend's ear and though Harry didn't verbally respond, he turned his head on the direction of Draco's, their noses touching. She bit her lip, avoiding non professional comments.

"Draco, he needs air." She said and he slowly pulled away. Harry frowned and grunted, slowly blinking. Draco sat back on his heels, sighing in relief.

Harry opened his mouth to speak but she was quicker. "Not a word Mr. Potter. Don't make this worse for yourself." He swallowed heavily, nodding weakly and closing his eyes.

"Harry, we need to get you to the hospi...oh shit."

Hermione had just said a curse word, therefore Draco presumed something bad was about to happen; and as he heard loud talking, plates clattering and approaching footsteps he knew she was right.


	8. Azkaban

**A/N: **

Ok, this was definitely one of the hardest chapters I have ever written in my life. Hopefully you will like it! Thank you for all your kind reviews and encouraging comments! Again I apologize for my lack of timing, maybe one day I'll change.

Read and review please!

Thanks,

Gaby

---

**Azkaban.**

"This is _not good. _What do we do? What do we do?" Hermione whispered to herself, looking around, searching for an answer in the midst of the uncut grass and the trees.

_Gryffindors. Nice people, but too slow for my liking._

"Granger!" She stared at him, her eyes wide. Molly's voice was getting louder, meaning, closer. "We can't let them see him like this, it will ruin Delacour's baby shower and your oaf of a husband will probably blame me, thus creating a fight and suspiciousness coming from his family. Don't argue, you know it's true." He stopped her from making any comments on the defense of her husband, she sighed and reluctantly nodded.

"Ok, so, what do we do?" She asked, looking clueless, he bit the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from laughing. He was _telling _Granger _what to do. _And she was definitely _not_ happy about it.

"I will take him to Saint Mugus. You go back there," She narrowed her eyes, "Yes you, because if I go they won't believe me. They'll think I did something. Most of them anyway." She looked apologetic but he shook his head, dismissing the feeling. "Tell them that we are going to take Harry back to _your _house because he is really sick and that is probably a side effect from the combination of potions that he took. If they ask why he isn't going home or to St. Mungus, you say that since you are a Healer you have all you need at your home, he would not want to be bothered by reporters, and after he recovers he will go back to the Weaselette." Hermione raised an eyebrow at the nickname, Draco rolled his eyes and scowled, "Fine, back to Ginevra."

A chuckle and a cough came from beneath them, reminding that Harry was still there. Draco and Hermione immediately hunched over him. Green orbs made an effort to stay open, but despite all the pain and exhaustion he didn't look like he was hurting, he looked amused.

Granger smirked at Draco –a freaky image that would haunt him forever- and he blushed slightly. Harry wasn't supposed to hear him. However, they did not have much time to think about it.

"Oh my, it was truly awful, I wonder if they are alright. Hermione! Harry!" Molly was about to open the front door and find them. Great.

"GO!" The blonde mouthed to her.

She ran back into the house, opening and closing the door quickly. Draco closed his eyes and started thinking. In honest truth there is no way he can take Harry home with him. He has no idea what is wrong with him, how long Granger will take to find him. He cares too much for the man and he won't risk his life just so they get the easiest way out of this mess.

St. Mungus is his only option.

He can't apparate with Harry, for in this condition the green eyed man will most likely splinch himself. Apparating alone and shirtless to the hospital wasn't an option either, they would not believe him and he would probably end up in the mental wing. He had to take Harry with him.

He knew he would be screwed for this, and maybe the Ministry would accuse him of breaking the contract but Harry was barely awake and his magic was out of control, if he suffers from one, just one ceasure like the ones he had on the hospital it would be his death.

Bloody hell, why hadn't he asked Hermione to do this for him? Concentrating he pointed his hand to the backyard, trying to pretend it is a wand.

_Accio St. Mungus portkey, Accio St. Mungus portkey, Accio St. Mungus portkey..._

His heart beat fast and he could feel the beginning of a headache forming thanks to the effort he is putting on getting the portkey. Fortunately he could see the small insignia of a wand and bone crossed coming to him. Sighing in relief and fighting his headache he picked the tiny object.

He neared the brunette laying on the ground and whispered. "We are going to the hospital – do not frown at me!- you need help. And I need to talk to you after that. Hold this as tightly a you can." As he spoke he put the insignia in Harry's hand, but he could barely move, weak as he was. Draco linked his fingers together, and before he closed his eyes to avoid being dizzy he saw a small smile on Harry's lips.

He convinced that the adrenaline and the energy he spet on performing wandless magic was all that made his heart beat so fast.

---

"Oh poor Harry. Are you sure he will be alright?" Asked a distressed Molly Weasley.

"Are you sure he is safe with the ferret?" Asked Ron, making James take a step forward, nose flaring in anger.

"Ron, stop this! Of course he is alright, and please remind yourself that if it wasn't for Draco, Harry wouldn't be alive right now!" Everyone fell silent at her statement, Ron lowered his head in shame.

"Are you sure I shouldn't go? I don't feel comfortable staying here while he is so ill." Ginny said and Hermione fought the urge to punch her square in the face.

"No, we are fine. Besides, Harry needs Healers, you would be too stressed to see him like that and would distract Draco and I from our job." Ginny stared at her, knowing very well why she was not welcomed to help.

"She is right dear, he really shouldn't have come today. Take good care of him." The matron requested, a frown on her worried face. "Oh, don't go just yet, let me just get you some food to take, you probably won't have time to cook dinner."

"No, Mrs. Weasley I'm ok, really-"

"Nonsense! It will take just a second." And she left the living room before Hermione could make any protests. All Weasleys were talking in hushed tones, appearing preoccupied for their friend.

"We should not enrapt ourselves with worry, Harry is more than well taken care of." Said Luna, her dreamy expression taking an air of mistery, her eyes twinkling in a Dumbledore sort of way.

Ginny rolled her eyes, and bushy hair shook vigorously in pure anger against the female Weasley.

"I'll be back as soon as he gets better, you guys enjoy yourselves." Hermione said as soon as Mrs. Weasley got back from the kitchen with the food. Heart heavy with worry, she apparated to Draco's tiny flat.

---

Things seemed to go in a slow motion around him, though in reality everything happened in few seconds. Draco felt more than saw people taking hold of a very weak Harry and dragging him somewhere else, a place where his eyes did not reach, and a spell prevented him from moving.

"_Incarcerous!"_

And just like that, his entire body was completely immobilized, his voice silenced, and soon he was lifted into the air, there, at the entrance of St. Mungus, for everyone to see. Lowering his head in shame and anger, he fought the tears of worry burning his eyes, his mind questioning him about what may have happened to Harry.

"Draco Malfoy, you are under arrest for breaking of contract with the Ministry. Section…" The Auror kept saying, but Draco was no longer listening, he knew this would happen, but what could have he done? Let Harry die? He would get in trouble anyway. Although, now, in retrospect, he could have asked Hermione to accio the portkey.

_Gryffindorish ways are definitely rubbing off on me._

He would have smiled at the thought if he had not heard a very dreadful sentence, "You are will be immediately taken to Azkaban and will remain there until the end of your pre-established imprisonment time."

He opened his mouth and tried to yell that this was wrong, unfair and absolutely crazy for he had only broken the contract in order to save The Chosen One, and he had never, ever complained about his situation or tried to break it before.

Unfortunately no sound came out, his desperation went unseen, unheard and his squirming, rapped in ropes body was apparated to Azkaban.

---

Hermione was just getting more and more desperate, no matter how many potions the Mediwitches gave Harry, he still struggled to speak, stand up or use wandless magic.

"Harry calm down! If you continue to make so much effort you will collapse!! Again!" Hermione said, putting a hand on Harry's chest, the other man continuously shaking his head.

"Draco…" He whispered brokenly, his voice horse from his body's weakness, "Draco…Azkaban…"

Brown eyes widened and the young married woman stood up, telling Harry she would solve this, leaving her friend's bedside to find out just what had happened to Draco.

---

Harry sighed and closed his eyes, willing his body to heal faster so he could punch Shacklebolt right in the face. How could he? How could he have Draco arrested after everything he was put through? After everyone he saved?

Blood boiled in the young man's veins, he couldn't be angrier than he was right now. He could still see the confusion and desperation in Draco's eyes, but weirdly enough it seemed as if he barely noticed he was being arrested.

His silver orbs were focused on Harry the entire time. He wanted to make sure that The Boy Who Lived kept living.

Still, in his mind he can clearly see Draco's mouth opening in silent screams of outrage as he heard the Auror's final statement. Everyone knows that the Dementors were removed from Azkaban and extinguished. What they don't know is that the Minister created a spell that would replicate the Dementor's effects. It would not make the person weak, but it would make the prisioner see all of his mistakes, face all of his fears.

To Draco, that would be no walk in the park.

'I have to get out of here…' He thought, observing the prison get darker, a sign that one day had alreay went by.

---

His ears were sensitive to the screams echoing Azkaban's walls, the prisioners begging to be released, beggin to be killed, anything, _anything _to leave that place.

He wondered how long it would take for him to become like one of these prisioners.

He was thrown inside his cell, his body hitting the ground with force, a cry leaving his mouth before he even noticed that the silencing spell had been lifted.

"_But daddy! What is wrong about becoming friends with him?" Six year old Draco innocently asked, petting his puppy and waiting for his father's answer._

_Lucius stared at him with cold, piercing eyes, his thoughts completely hidden from Draco. He supported himself on his cane and stood up, walking over to the garden, the little blonde boy right behind him, stumbling because of the thick layer of snow._

"_There is a lesson I need to teach you, son." His father said, back still turned. With one subtle flick of his wand Draco's puppy was up in the air, barking. One more flick and Draco's puppy was wailing in pain, crying, being Crucioed to death. _

_Draco ran, standing under the poor puppy, trying to jump and catch him, save him from his father's cruelty, " STOP! DAD STOP!" He yelled, but Lucius did not even blink. _

_After some long minutes, the puppy stopped moving at all. Lucius lowered his wand until the dead animal was in his son's arms. Draco fell to his knees and sobbed, holding the little dog._

"_Friendship, trusting on someone only because they are your friends and nothing else, romantic relationships without any other benefits, acting without thinking…such things are for Mudbloods. Do you see your mother happily chatting to a simpleton like Potter would be to you?" Draco denied, his head bowed, tears falling incontrollably from his eyes._

"_Stop crying." His father coldly said, approaching. Draco did not stop. "Stop crying!" He repeated, sticking his cane on the snow, kneeling on one knee. "I said, STOP CRYING!" He almost whispered, but his tone was rough, and there was hatred in his eyes. He rudely lifted Draco's face, his cold and wet cane right under his son's chin. "Malfoys do not cry. Understood?" Draco nodded. "__**Understood?**__" Under his father's firm voice, with a dead puppy in his arms, and a broken heart in his chest, Draco answered, voice hoarse,_

"_Yes, Father." _

_He never called Lucius dad again._

He promised he wouldn't cry anymore and for ten years he didn't, but right now his eyes were starting to sting. Before that day his father was his hero, his loving parent. After that, he always felt like the man had suddenly become cold. He never shared his thoughts again. He had no one t talk to, but his toys and house elfs. He used to talk to himself sometimes, or pretend he was two people at the same time, just so he could say what was on his mind. Or pretend he did.

From that day on all he tried to do was please his father, to make him proud. And to this very day, he has not managed to do so.

_It was ridiculous, Draco thought, how much attention that boy got. Just because he had a scar on his head. _

_Their fourth year ended and now they were at King's Cross Station, greeting their families, saying goodbye to friends. Potter was surrounded by freckled faces, laughing merrily amongst his friends. _

_It was ridiculous, really, that anyone would bother so much with anyone else but themselves. His father had thought him better than that, the less you are attached to person, the safer you are from making mistakes and getting hurt. _

_Draco nodded to the family house elf so the creature would apparate his things back to the Manor. Sneering at all the cheerful faces before him he made his way out of King's Cross. _

_He knew that neither his father or mother would come to get him, it had been like that from the very first time, when he was only twelve years old. He would have to walk to Diagon Alley and use a fireplace to go home through the flu network._

_And yet, though he would die before admitting, he found himself once again wishing that they would appear admist the smiley faces, telling him how happy they were to have him back, how much they missed him._

_Feeling cold despite the hot summer weather he resumed his walk, avoiding to think about how much colder it would be once he arrived at the Manor, only house elfs to greet him._

It took less than a second, he figured after the image vanished. One of the most painful moments for him. Leaving Hogwarts was always difficult, for he left his comfort zone, only to go back to what people liked to call 'home' and see his father following a mad man and his mother hiding.

He never thought he would be here, on the same place as them. He never thought he would be able ot hear his parents' screams. Unfortunately he didn't have a lot of time to ponder on the matter. The spell was as good as ever and he had a **very **dark past to keep him occupied.

_Draco didn't understand. He could not possibly comprehend why Harry Potter was laughing merrily with his Mudblood and Mudblood lover friends on the **Gryffindork** table._

_How could he? How could he trade Draco Malfoy for that? What the bloody hell was wrong with him?  
_

_He didn't understand, he just couldn't understand. What was wrong? Hadn't his father taught him that Mudbloods and Mudblood lovers were the worst kind of human being? How come was he less important to Potter than they were?_

_He frowned as he looked at them. They were having fun. That was an unknown concept, to have fun. He knew he definitely wasn't, all the boys and girls around him looked fairly bored or conceited. _

_He shook his head, trying to clear his head. He was not going to **envy **Gryffindors. He is better than them. At least, that's what he hopes. _

A breaking point. That's when he started to question things, even if just a little. Why did they get everyone's support if his parents were correct? Why did he have to conquer people's minds instead of making friends?

He wished he hadn't made so many questions, he wished he would have been smarter. But no, he kept wanting to know more, to see more.

And on his fourth year he did.

"_Come closer Draco." His father, so Draco obeyed. Before him there was a family, two scared, bounded and crying parents and two small, fragile little kids. The older brother was tied together with his young sister, he had deep green eyes, filled with anger and pride. He was trying to look tough. Trying to be tough for his family. His braveness and his green eyes made Draco remember of someone, and the blonde teenager immediately hated the younger muggle._

"_Draco, today is your first assignment. The Dark Lord is very happy with our family and our alliance, but we must continuosly prove our worth." His father lectured and Draco listened with wide, focused eyes. "Pick one person and use the Cruciatus curse. Now." _

_Draco's breathing grew faster as his mind processed the words that left his father's mouth. Silver eyes quickly looked at the family. They were just people, like him, like his father and mother. The parents' muffled screams and begs echoed through the empty and destroyed living room. They tried to crawl in front of their children, but the brave soon crawled first, falling with his face on the floor, his legs were stretched in front of his parents, preventing them from moving. _

_Piercing green eyes burned a hole through him and Draco felt his blood boil with bad memories and shame. _

"_Crucio!" He screamed, and the boy was up in the air, he tried to remain quiet, his face contorted in pain, but it took less than twenty seconds for him to start screaming, tears falling in pain. _

_Paralyzed, Draco could only stare in horror at what he was doing, the only thing that made him move was a small desperate cry. Far more hurt and scared green eyes begged him to stop. A small little girl was crying. The boy's sister._

"_Avada Kedrava!" His father's voice._

_And the smaller green eyes closed forever. _

Draco shivered and threw up continuously at the memorie, he could still remember their faces, the mother's cries of utter pain, not from the Cruciatus curse, but from seeing her children die in front of her.

For thirty seconds Draco could watch the room around him. It was still pitch dark, but much more disgusting than before. He had thrown up several times because of the things he saw from his past, there were plates with uneaten, disgusting and rotten food, his pants were ripped in many places and Draco recognized that he was the one who had ripped it. Along with that, his chest was covered in angry redmarks, some of them were already infected.

With wide eyes, and just before another vision came, he realized he had been there for days, or Merlin knows, weeks.

---

"This is unacceptable! Why can't I even see him Kingsley?" Hermione tried again, a pile of papers in front of her, and expensive lawyers by her side.

"He broke one especific and very important law on his contract! The penalty for that is very clear! Isolation with no visitors!" He was on the verge of yelling, face red with contained rage.

"How can you, _you_ of all people do this? You know the only reason he used his magic was to save Harry!" She yelled, her bushy hair wilder than normal, for she had been trying to find a legal way out of this for a week.

"If I let him get away, the press will get their hands on this news and I will lose my respect! People do not trust a Minister that releases Death Eaters from prison Miss Granger!" She narrowed her deep chocolate eyes, documents wrinkling in her closed hands.

"People won't trust on a Minister that arrests innocents either." At this Kingsley stood up, bracing himself on his table and glaring at the woman in front of him.

"Are you accusing me of something Miss Granger?"

"Yes. And I will report all that I know to the Daily Profet if you don't let me see Draco Malfoy _now."_

Shacklebolt's eyes widened, his eyes showing how hurt he felt, but just for a moment.

"You cannot be serious."

"Do you really want to test me? For the past two weeks I have done everything that would _legally _allow a visit to Malfoy. And I asked for _just. One. Visit! _I am tired of waiting for your mercy." Hermione said, straightening her posture and her clothes. "I am Harry Potter's friend after all, some of his braveness, or dare I say, stupidity must have brushed off on me." Shacklebolt looked like a bull ready to attack the person harassing him, but reluctantly he nodded, his face now purple.

"Very well. Follow me." He said and walked to the door, opening it and allowing that Hermione and her lawyers pass by. "Azkaban can only be entered through Ministry fireplaces. We have few minutes to pass and less than two hours to return before the passage closes for the day. About one hundred of our finest-"

"Wizards and witches are guarding the entrance with their wands in hand, ready to attack. I know it all Kingsley, I have read all of the books, articles, laws, rules, myths, everything. Cut the crap and let's go."

Without another word the Minister turned his back on them and walked through the many Minitry halls and staircases.

Stopping in front of an immense line of fireplaces Kingsley motioned for them to pick a little bit of Floo Powder and do as he did.

"Azkaban prison!" He shouted, entered the fireplace and disappeared. The two lawyers followed him without hesitating. Hermione hired them for they were the best, but they were also very shallow and probably just got this case because they would know Azkaban and meet Harry Potter.

With a sigh Hermione shouted the two little words and vanished.

---

The first thing Hermione could feel was coldness. It was like her clothes had immediately frozen, her body was stiff and even though the wind was strong her hair would not move. Droplets of water fell in their heads, the big and black clouds above their heads warning about a much worse rain coming their way.

While she observed the Ministry took Veritaserum drops and answered all necessary questions to prove that he was not an imposter.

"Announcing Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt," said the little wizard in front of the main gates,recklessly forgetting to mention them. Hermione could hear –but not see- murmurs, beginnings of incantations all around her. "WAIT! Minister _and Guests!_" The man said and the powerful magical aura that had suddenly formed, vanished.

With annoyingly high creaking sounds the main iron gates opened, a horrible odor of putrefied food and bodies coming from the inside. She immediately covered her nose with her sleeve, seeing the man in front of her doing the same.

With careful and slow steps they entered the old prison. The lawyers were too distracted to notice small details, so she had to do it. The prisioners were screaming, begging something. But it was not to get out. Their eyes were not focused and they kept crawling, ripping at imaginary places, things and people.

Some of them were no longer moving, and if Hermione didn't see the rise and fall of their chest she would say they were dead. Their eyes were also unfocused and some of them were weeping silently, their bodies contorted on the floor, as if they were waiting for death to take them.

The little hairs of the back of her neck stood up and her skin prickled in a long shiver. Azkaban is horrible, of that she knows, but something wrong is happening, something not mentioned in the reports she read.

They climbed a flight of stairs that led to a small rusted door, the door led to an almost pitch black corridor, the only light coming from holes on the stone ceiling, some rocks missing.

But what scared her the most about this corridor was that unlike the others, the noises, weeps, screams were scarce in this one. That could only mean two things: this place didn't have what the other had or, things were much worse here.

Kingsley murmured the incantation that opened the door and Hermione had to contain a scream of horror as she saw the state Draco was in.

---

_He couldn't do it! There was no way, no possible way for him to do this. He could barely use the Cruciatus curse on that kid two years ago, how would he ever kill the most powerful Wizard on Earth? How would he kill Dumbledore?_

_Tears of utter despearation and sadness left his eyes. Not only he couldn't magically murder the Headmaster, he also didn't want to. For the past two years he has been seriously doubting his family's believes, and he is tired. He is so, so tired of it all. _

_He took a deep breath and stared at himself on the mirror. He was such a mess, red eyes with dark circles underneath, messy brown…Wait…no!_

_Before they could even speak or listen to what they said spells were flying through the girls' bathroom. Moaning Myrtle was screaming loudly, but her screams were muffled by the noise of things breaking, by their yells. _

_Unfortunately, one yell was louder, one spell was stronger, and Draco didn't have time to react._

"_Sectusempra!" _

_Draco fell, a deep, long gash forming across his chest. Gulping for air he lost his stregth, falling completely into the dirty water, but he didn't see it mix with his blood, his eyes could barely move from side to side. Soon, he did not even see the ceiling, Potter's face above his._

"_Draco! __Draco…no...I'm sorry, I didn't mean it…" He kept repeating, his warm arms wrapped around Draco in an unfamiliar, but not unwelcome, embrace._

_He wondered, in those few moments of conciousness, why was Potter trying to save him? Why now? Why not before, those years ago, when he offered his hand in friendship? _

_Desperate green eyes met forlorn grey ones, there were tears coming out of Draco's eyes, he could feel them. For a moment he was scared of death, holding Potter's robes with all of what was let of his strength. On the very next moment he had let go, wishing he could smile and say thank you._

_Maybe dying now was his only answer._

Maybe dying now was his only answer. No one would come for him, he was sure of that. With desolated tears he lay down on the floor, hugging his knees to his chest, suddenly feeling cold.

But after some hours he felt someone hug him, a hot blanket covering his cold skin, some heating and cleaning charms going through his body. He didn't know wheter he was dreaming, hallucinating or seeing the truth.

In truth, he didn't really care, for his mind was giving him the image of the person he longed to see. Right before fainting, he brokenly whispered,

"_Harry…_"


End file.
